Manchester-based sustainability expert, Pilot Group, has teamed up with Dent with Cowgill Parish Council to install Electric Vehicle (EV) charge points.
The organisation, which offers innovative technology solutions to help businesses reach net zero, has worked with the council to supply and install six EV charge points for use at a public car park in Laning, in the village of Dent, Cumbria.
Pilot Group was awarded a three-year contract, which includes ongoing support and maintenance, following a competitive tender process.
After conducting a site visit and survey to understand the Council’s requirements, Pilot Group proposed the installation of three double classic units which include post mount, signage, and bollard protection.
The charge points are accompanied by three photocell-operated bollard lights, also supplied by Pilot Group, to illuminate the surrounding area to improve accessibility and safety. They also feature a contactless payment solution enhancing useability for members of the public.
Additionally, the chargers display advertising, providing both a revenue opportunity and a chance for business customers to view promotional materials provided by local businesses.
As part of the deal, the council also has access to back-office software allows it to review the status of the charging points, usage and income statistics.
Dent with Cowgill Parish Council covers the village of Dent along with the hamlets of Cowgill and Gawthrop in South Lakeland.
Scott Thornley, Clerk and RFO at Dent with Cowgill Parish Council, said: “We have been hugely impressed by the support we’ve received from the Pilot Group team. From conducting a site survey and consulting us on the most suitable solution, the process has been seamless.
“The convenience of contactless payment solutions and well-lit charge points mean we are offering a unique service for our community, and one that is crucial as more and more people turn to driving electric vehicles. We’re excited to have brought something new to Laning and will hopefully continue our relationship with Pilot Group into the future.”
Leon Wong, EV Business Development Manager at Pilot Group, said: “At Pilot Group, we’re working hard to promote and encourage the implementation of electrical charging infrastructure across the country to enable the adaptation to a cleaner, electric vehicle future.
“It’s brilliant to have been able to support Dent with Cowgill Parish Council to realise their goal of providing EV charging solutions within their community and offering a new option for local residents moving forward. We look forward to seeing our relationship progress over the length of the contract.”
Garstang locals are being invited to submit their ideas of items to be included in a time capsule by McCarthy Stone the leading manager and developer of retirement communities, behind the Retirement Living development, Stanley Place on Kepple Lane.
Three submissions will be chosen by homeowners and the McCarthy Stone team at Stanley Place who will then have their items included in a time capsule set to be buried in the development’s garden early next year.
Fiona Brookes, Divisional Sales Director at McCarthy Stone, said: “We are super excited to be burying a time capsule at our new Stanley Place Retirement Living development – to commemorate the start of our new community, but also recognise the wonderful generations that have gone before. at the time capsule offers the perfect way to create a lasting memory of the local area for years to come.
“We encourage people in Garstang to enter the competition by thinking about what is important to them, and what they’d like someone to uncover in 100 years – it could be a map, a newspaper article, a photo or even a diary entry – the choice is up to them.”
Each entrant is permitted to submit a maximum of three ideas. These should be emailed to [email protected] by the closing date of Friday 30th December with ‘Garstang Time Capsule Contest’ in the subject. In your email, you should include your full name and reasons why you think your ideas should be included.
McCarthy Stone’s Stanley Place Retirement Living development is situated in close proximity to the Stanley Gardens Retirement Living development, which is now fully sold out.
Bordering the beautiful River Wyre, Stanley Place and Stanley Gardens are surrounded by countryside whilst being located in the popular market town of Garstang. A stylish communal lounge perfect for socialising with friends and neighbours and a hotel style guest suite which offers a home for family and friends, Stanley Place provides an ideal downsizing option for retirees.
Stanley Place offers a choice of one- and two-bedroom apartments tailor-made for those looking to downsize to a community of like-minded people where they can enjoy embracing the life they want to live.
At Stanley Place, a one-bedroom apartment is currently priced from £201,999 and a two-bedroom starts at £302,999.
More than nine out of 10 customers would recommend McCarthy Stone to a friend, ensuring it has received the full Five Star award for customer satisfaction from the Home Builders Federation. McCarthy Stone is the only UK housebuilder of any size or type to achieve this rating every year we have taken part in the survey.
Whitecap Consulting, working in partnership with a group of regional stakeholders, is to publish a new report focusing on the FinTech ecosystem in Greater Manchester.
The project will help address the recommendations of the Kalifa Review, published in February 2021, which was a national strategic review of UK FinTech and highlighted Manchester and Leeds as one of three ‘established’ regional FinTech clusters in the UK. The review recommended that each cluster should develop a growth strategy, and this new report will provide data, analysis and insight to support the future development of FinTech in Greater Manchester.
Whitecap’s previous report in 2020 identified Greater Manchester to be the largest regional FinTech ecosystem in England. The city is home to the largest financial and professional services sector outside London, and is also the second largest PE hub in Europe.
The project is currently being supported by Bruntwood SciTech, MIDAS, and Vialto Partners, along with promotional partners pro-manchester and FinTech North. It will involve detailed research and analysis of the ecosystem, including a programme of interviews and engagement via roundtables and events, including FinTech North’s annual conference in Manchester on 24th November, and a pro-manchester seminar on 13th December.
Deb Hetherington, Head of Innovation Services at Bruntwood SciTech, says:
“We’re delighted to be one of the main sponsors of this report and to be championing the growth of FinTech in Greater Manchester. FinTech is a sector we have actively supported over recent years, along with other fast growing digitally-led sectors such as LegalTech and HealthTech. Within Manchester’s innovation district Bruntwood SciTech has three well-established campuses which are home to more than 250 startup, scaleup and large science and tech businesses; at Manchester Science Park, Circle Square, and Citylabs, and we will be creating a 4th in partnership with the University of Manchester – ID Manchester. FinTech is a rapidly growing pillar of strength for Greater Manchester, which we will continue to support scaling through access to funding, highly skilled talent in the region, new markets and our wider ecosystem support.”
Deborah Walker, Head of Financial, Professional and Business Services at MIDAS, Manchester’s Inward Investment Agency, says:
“We are delighted to be working with Whitecap Consulting on this project, continuing a long-standing partnership on various initiatives relating to regional FinTech development in Greater Manchester. The original report from 2020 has been a great source of data, insight and content for our inward investment activity and we look forward to seeing the findings and reading the latest in the story of this high growth sector.”
Sam Booth, CEO at pro-manchester, says:
“pro-manchester is thrilled to be partnering with Whitecap Consulting, MIDAS and the other partners on the Greater Manchester FinTech Ecosystem Update. The first report found that Greater Manchester plays host to the largest FinTech ecosystem outside of London. As a region that prides itself on its approach to collaboration we are excited to see what insights this updated verison will bring.”
Whitecap Consulting previously produced a widely published report on the Greater Manchester FinTech Ecosystem in 2020 and has conducted research and analysis of numerous regional FinTech ecosystems in the UK including: Leeds City Region, West Midlands, North East, Bristol & Bath, Northern Ireland, and Scotland.
The original Greater Manchester report was published shortly after the onset of Covid, and it is now close to three years since the research process for this report commenced. Whitecap is also currently updating its Leeds report, and has recently published a three year FinTech strategy for the North East.
Previous reports have been supported by a mix of public and private sector organisations, and universities, and Whitecap is still seeking further sponsors for this project. To enquire about getting involved please email [email protected]
A driving force for further enrichment in career development and esports events for UK university students
National Student Esports (NSE) has announced a new strategic partnership today with HOST, the Home of Skills & Technology, to provide valuable career pathways into technology and also deliver more esports events for UK university students. NSE, the official body of university esports and largest grassroots gaming community in the UK, is supporting HOST on its mission to change the landscape of future technology talent by providing employers with direct access to diverse talent.
The partnership will see a close working relationship between the two, helping to enrich student experiences at university and prepare them for life afterwards. NSE will build on a continued future career development offering and showcase HOST’s state-of-the-art facilities and opportunities through running a series of events at its new Gametech campus in Salford’s MediaCity.
NSE will be highlighting the training and developing opportunities through the Skills City digital Bootcamps provided by HOST, further supporting the talented NSE community and providing them with fair access to a future career in the technology industry.
Mo Isap, CEO of IN4 Group, operator of HOST, said:
“We are delighted to join forces with NSE and ensure that all university students have fair access to the many opportunities that this industry is providing. Gaming and esports continues to be one of the fastest-growing sectors, but these skills are in huge demand across the whole economy too.’’
Alex Coulson, Managing Director at NSE said:
“In addition to the British University Esports Championship, and all the community esports and gaming activity we run, we want to offer UK university students more value and opportunities by being a part of our community. The students are always our number one priority and we want to help them now and in their future careers, so working with the team at HOST is a natural evolution for us.”
Simon Benson, Director of Immersive Technology at HOST said:
“Technology continues to be a driving force in society and we hope that this partnership will break some of the barriers that students may find themselves with when getting into the industry. With the right support, students immersed in esports and gaming are ideally placed to find a career in technology in any sector they choose”
Lauren Monks, Director of Careers Education Programmes at HOST said:
“We are aiming to evolve our offering and connect those who are in need of guidance with key opportunities and pathways to their future careers in technology.”
The most recent Skills City Bootcamp applications have just closed, however the next set will be opening soon, students can apply to be registered on to the waiting list to fast-track their careers in Unity Development, Games Development, Cyber Security, Cloud Engineering, Data Analytics, or Software Engineering. Further news on NSE events at HOST are soon to be announced.
eStar, the Mercedes-Benz Truck and Van franchise partner in the North West and North Wales, has installed five AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) – one at each site across Deeside, Knowsley Truck and Knowsley Van, Stoke-on-Trent, and Trafford Park.
As part of eStar’s commitment to the community, the defibrillators have been purchased and installed in accessible areas across the five locations. They have been publicly registered so that 999 call handlers can direct members of the public to them in an emergency; 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen each year in the UK, and sadly 9 out of 10 are fatal.
Using a defibrillator within the first minute of collapse, can mean the survival rate can be as high as 90%, and using a defibrillator within 3-5 minutes of a cardiac arrest increases survival rates from 6% to 74%.
Kate Howdon, Head of HR at eStar, championed the purchase of these life-saving devices. She said: “Coming from a medical family, I know how vitally important these AED’s can be. I’m so proud to work for a company that cares, and cares not only for our colleagues and customers, but also for our surrounding neighbours and the public. These defibs are now on the public network, which means in an emergency, any member of the public can call 999, and the operator will direct the caller to our defibrillator’s location. Hopefully they won’t need to be used, but the peace of mind that they’re there, is priceless.”
The Music Industry and LIVE Music Bites Back Post Pandemic
Manchester sits central to a reimagined live music, performance and digital landscape
A distinguished panel of experts will debate the threats and opportunities available to start-ups and entrepreneurs in an event curated by Design Manchester’s Malcolm Garrett and Kasper de Graaf for BIPC Manchester
Iconic and newly refurbished venue Band on the Wall will play host to the Scale Up Session
Few businesses have been left unscathed by the ravages of the Covid-19 Pandemic and in many cases recovery continues to be slow.
The Music Industry is one that took a severe hit and a Scale Up Session curated for BIPC Greater Manchester by celebrated designer and BIPC Ambassador Malcolm Garrett and Kasper de Graaf of Design Manchester will consider the post-pandemic re-emergence of the live and on-demand music industry which was thrown into turmoil during lockdown. The conversation will spotlight how the Industry has been forced into finding new ways of building creative businesses in what is a dynamic commercial enterprise environment.
In one of the new performance spaces in the newly-refurbished and iconic Manchester venue Band on the Wall, a distinguished panel chaired by journalist and musician John Robb will be considering how music and live gigs are overcoming the difficulties of the post-pandemic return to live performance and the resulting changing climate for musicians.
The panel which includes Band on the Wall’s CEO Gavin Sharp, musician and tech consultant Terry Tyldesley, CIRKAY & Push Entertainment‘s Simon Scott and Sundae Communications and Lost Horizon‘s Fiona McGarva will also debate the threats and opportunities presented by the ever-advancing digital world. The discussion will also explore artificial intelligence techniques in sound recording, performance in virtual spaces, personalised fan products and direct creator-to-fan relationships.
This promises to be an insightful and inspirational experience for an audience who might just find solutions to the questions that might still be holding them back from taking the next step.
Despite the challenging environment Terry Tyldesley feels there is great opportunity for the right ideas and says, “New creative businesses are essential in music to drive innovation and audience experiences. From AI to hybrid 3D performances, there are great opportunities to transform music with new tech and build on the pioneering creative work that Manchester is known for.”
Councillor John Hacking, Manchester City Council’s Executive Member for Skills, Employment and Leisure:
“Manchester Central Library’s BIPC is an exceptional space where local businesses old and new can seek advice and support that will help them grow.
BIPC ambassador Malcolm Garrett and this distinguished panel are leaders in their respective fields and share a wealth of experience in the creative business community. I’m sure this event will provide essential inspiration for businesses looking to develop, expand and continue to thrive post pandemic.”
The BIPC is there to support and nurture new businesses and will be happy to follow up the event with tours of the resource which is housed on the 2nd Floor of Central Library in St Peter’s Square.
Financial expert Mike Collins Mortgage Broker is here to help you find the best funding options for your builds and renovations.
“If you’re looking to kickstart a project – whether it’s something large scale or a buy-to-let property – you’ll want to look at your finance options unless you’re sitting on a very large pot of cash!
“Property finance is a term that applies to many types of funding, and I will run through the main options in this article.
“Whether you’re a one-man band or you have a massive mix-use development to build, this guide should help you to find the loan you require.”
Here, Mike Collins advises on some of the best methods to fund your property project:
Which finance suits your project?
It’s important to note that eligibility criteria will be the main reason for being accepted for funding – and this varies from lender to lender. They may judge you on how good your business plan is or on your personal credit score.
But quite often, unless you have a lot if inheritance or have a lot of cash readily available, you will need some funding options, and often these come with high interest.
Buy-to-let mortgage
If you want to buy a house to rent out, you can apply for this type of mortgage, but you must check terms with regards to subletting the property.
Be warned, you could be expected to find as much as a 25-40% deposit. You may also experience higher fees in the current market.
Personal loan
Sometimes called an unsecured loan and is a quick option for needing to purchase a large asset, such as a property, fast.
This kind of funding is not secured against your property or another asset.
You can choose to pay fixed repayments but the best thing you can do is be able to pay the loan back in full by the end of the term.
Bridging loan
This is a short-term solution which is a great option to have, but it comes with a very high interest rate.
If you have seen a property, you’d love to own but you need the deposit for it from the sale of another property development, this type of loan could be very useful as a way to ‘bridge’ the gap until your funding is available – a good option if you want to buy a house at auction.
Bridging finance can also be used for lighter refurbishment at your current property such as decorating, plastering or a new boiler.
If you need cash quickly, this is also a great option with money available very quickly.
A bridging loan credits you for that brief period until your property is then sold, and you have the funds to pay back the amount.
Property development loans
If you prefer a loan that is paid out in stages, this type of funding may suit best and is preferable for bigger projects.
The first payment is normally used to buy a development site – this could be land for a number of new houses to be built or it could fund a flat that needs refurbishment.
The second part of the loan is used to pay for other costs that may be associated with the building works, and this can be paid in stages as they are finished. This is known as staged drawdown.
The loan is agreed at the outset and repaid through mortgage finance or when the property is sold.
Cash
Cash is the simplest way to finance a property development – but not many people have a lump sum to spare from their savings. It’s always great to use if you have it as you can avoid high interest rates and loans. If you don’t have the full amount in cash, you could pay the largest deposit you can to avoid having to take out large loans.
Warrington-based specialist gym and fitness backpack brand Built For Athletes has announced an exclusive partnership with Texas A&M Athletics (AKA The Aggies), a leading University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
The Built For Athletes and Texas A&M Athletics backpack is designed in the Aggies’ colours and constructed in the same practical, stylish and durable design as Built For Athletes’ hugely popular 45-litre backpacks, used by fitness enthusiasts across the world.
Texas A&M Athletics is part of Texas A&M University. Established in 1876, this historic school has a student body of more than 70,000, the largest in America and has long been a leading institution for developing young student-athletes.
Thanks to a strong tradition of supporting academic achievement and athletic excellence through world class coaching and facilities, The Aggies support more than 650 student-athletes competing in the NCAA Division 1-A level across 20 varsity sports.
This high-profile collaboration is the latest in a busy six months for Built For Athletes after successfully launching a series of partnerships with several international sports and fitness brands, most recently producing an exclusive backpack with Borussia Dortmund.
Nick Costello, Built For Athletes founder and CEO said:
“Texas A&M is a legendary University and famous for nurturing and producing world class student-athletes.
“It’s a privilege to have worked with the Aggies to produce an exclusive backpack for their athletic teams, students and their devoted fans, the 12th Man.
“This partnership is made all the more special by releasing the backpack following the 100th anniversary of the 12th Man tradition.”
Texas A&M Ventures General Manager Clay Harris said:
“Partnering with Built For Athletes was a natural fit for us. Their ethos of dedication, hard work and resilience echos our own approach here at Texas A&M and I’m delighted to have them as part of the team.
“Built For Athletes have produced an amazing backpack that’s perfect for the 12th Man and a fitting celebration of this wonderful tradition.
“Our core values and tradition make up a huge part of who we are and it’s important our partners are a reflection of this and I’m excited to see Aggies everywhere wearing these magnificent backpacks.”
The days of pitching a website with a simple checkout and product selection are far behind us. Business-to-Business (B2B) e-commerce has grown exponentially in the last few years, and it’s more difficult to stand out than ever before.
A survey of 1282 B2B buyers across Europe and the US conducted by independent market research company Sapio on behalf of e-commerce platform Sana Commerce shows that B2B buyers are now purchasing 75 percent of their products online. The new generation of B2B buyers are much more tech-savvy, and have higher expectations of what their buying experience should be like. In order to meet their expectations, businesses need to cater directly to specific, and rapidly evolving customer needs.
Millennials have set a new standard for B2B e-commerce
The growth of the working Millennial and Gen Z population has transformed B2B e-commerce. Millennials have now become the largest generational cohort in the workforce. These employees are the first generation of digital natives who grew up using social media, shopping online and communicating electronically. Their tech-savviness brings greater diversity of knowledge into the workforce, but more importantly, more experience in commerce as consumers.
Previously, B2B customers settled for a relatively impersonal buying experience. It wasn’t uncommon to place orders by phone and have no further communication with the supplier until (or, if) the product or service arrived.
Now, B2B customers expect the same seamless and tailored experience that they would get in a B2C transaction. Research for Sana Commerce reveals that customers prioritise features like ease of check out and repeat ordering, which they’re accustomed to as consumers. This is one of the reasons why new flexible payment solutions, like Sana Pay, are gaining traction within B2B sectors. Ultimately, B2B buyers are consumers too, and they want the easiest buying experience in both personal and professional contexts.
Personalisation has changed the market
Catering directly to your customers is key to standing out in the competitive B2B market. B2B buyers only spend 17% of their time meeting with possible suppliers when they’re considering a purchase. In the internet-led age, buyers typically identify and research new suppliers independently online. With that in mind, your web store is the gateway to win new customers over and retain existing ones.
One of the most effective ways to achieve this is through personalisation. Personalisation involves creating a unique experience for every customer, for example, offering them hyper-relevant product recommendations, offers and content. Tailoring each customer’s experience is the norm in B2C, but this approach has recently grown more popular within B2B sectors. There are several benefits of personalisation:
Reduces the purchase cycle. If you know what your target audience is looking for, you can feed them hyper-relevant recommendations, and quickly convert them into customers.
Accelerates returning customers’ experience. Existing customers don’t want to trawl your website for hours to find what they need. Customising the products and services they see makes their buying experience faster and effortless.
Helps you to understand your customers better. By gathering information on who your customers are, and what they’re looking for, you can develop a targeted approach for attracting future customers.
Advanced technology has enabled seamless personalisation
Make no mistake, personalisation isn’t new to commerce. Retail stores have hung their hats on building relationships with their customers, understanding their pain points and addressing them. These in-person efforts improved their customer’s experience by increasing the speed and accuracy of their recommendations.
Now, tools in modern technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) have made it easier for businesses to gather this data. AI and automation software can gather data on customers’ real-time browsing and shopping habits online. This includes everything from their purchase history, to their search history and job function. By analysing this data, businesses are then able to make accurate recommendations that fulfil their customers’ requirements.
According to Sana Commerce, it’s possible to gather this data on offline activity as well. The company’s recent partnership with Solen Energy UK is bringing AI-powered personalisation to the UK through its e-commerce platform, Sana Commerce Cloud. The personalised product recommendation feature is powered by data mining algorithms which utilise the tight ERP/web store integration that Sana Commerce Cloud creates.
Michiel Schipperus, CEO of Sana Commerce, said: “By gathering and analysing information on their buyers’ behaviours and purchasing patterns, web stores can provide buyers with a personalised buying journey – leading to higher revenues, loyalty, and trust. But in B2B e-commerce, this feature did not exist based on both online and offline purchases. Because product segmentation, customer-specific pricing and discounts make this a challenge.
Due to Sana Commerce Cloud’s tight integration with the ERPs of our customers, B2B web stores running on Sana have access to both on- and offline order information, as well as historic purchasing data. This golden combination is fed into the new algorithm, delivering accurate recommendations that most closely represent typical transactions.”
The Institute of Directors has launched its annual awards for leading business figures across the North of England.
Entries are now open for the Director of the Year Awards 2023, with categories recognising excellence in areas including diversity, innovation and sustainability.
The IoD is a thriving membership community, providing directors with professional development, valuable connections and influence.
The North regional awards cover Yorkshire, the North East and North West. The winners will be announced in Spring 2023 with a national awards ceremony to follow in the summer.
The Director of the Year categories are:
SME (up to £50m turnover)
Innovation
Young
Family
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Third and Public Sector
Non-executive
Sustainability
Chartered Director
The awards will be judged by a panel of experts drawn from IoD members, Chartered Directors, the business community and past winners.
The Chartered Director award cannot be entered directly – the winner will be the person who scores the highest exam total of the year’s qualifying Chartered Directors.
Jonathan Geldart, Director General of the IoD, said: “Inspirational and talented directors have never been more important.
“As a country, we excel at entrepreneurship and innovation, but political instability and low economic confidence have forced directors to dig deep and draw on all their skills and experience.
“Our prestigious awards recognise individuals who meet the highest standards of leadership in the business, public and third sectors. I am looking forward to celebrating success with our winners.”
