- Manchester Airport’s Community Trust Fund is running a 25th Anniversary Eco-Garden competition, with up to £40,000 to give away to local schools
- Schools invited to bid for £25,000 of funding for a garden or play area, with 2nd place prize of £10,000 and 3rd place prize of £5,000 also on offer
- Applications must be made by Friday 28th October via www.manchesterairport.co.uk/communityTime is running out for Primary schools near Manchester Airport to submit applications to a one-off £25,000 fund to mark the airport Community Trust Fund’s 25th anniversary.
One local primary school will receive the top prize for a new eco-friendly garden or outdoor learning area, whilst a runner-up and third-placed school will receive £10,000 and £5,000 respectively.
Primary schools within the Community Trust Fund’s catchment area – which encompasses roughly a 10-mile radius of the airport, including parts of Trafford, Manchester, Stockport, Tameside and Cheshire – are being invited to submit a proposal for outlining how they would spend the funds, with a deadline for entries of Friday 28th October.
Six finalist schools will be selected, with pupils asked to prepare a pitch to the trustees, which will be delivered at a grand final event under the wings of the Concorde, at the airport’s Runway Visitor Park, to decide the winners.
Entries can be submitted by visiting www.manchesterairport.co.uk/community/working-in-our-community/eco-garden/. Schools should offer a breakdown of how they would spend the funds and a covering letter outlining the difference this would make, also specifying how they would use the project to promote environmental awareness among pupils, whilst enriching the environment and improving biodiversity.
The application will include producing a short video of no more than 3 minutes, presented by pupils, summarising the eco-garden proposal and the benefits it will bring.
Selected finalist schools will be contacted by 21st November and will be asked to prepare a 10-minute presentation for the trustees, to be given at the grand final on Tuesday 6th December.
Chris Woodroofe, Managing Director at Manchester Airport, said: “This competition provides a unique opportunity for primary schools in our area to develop an area of their campus that is in need of renovation. Outdoor learning is an important part of primary education and this funding will support projects that will provide a real legacy for pupils. That is why I would encourage schools to get their applications in before the deadline.
“We are proud of the work that the Community Trust Fund has done over the past 25 years and that work will continue. We are committed to ensuring that our neighbouring communities share in the benefits of having a major international airport on their doorstep.”
The Community Trust Fund is overseen by the airport and managed by a committee of independent trustees, formed of local councillors from the six local authority areas which fall within the fund’s catchment area. It provides cash either as a contribution to, or to meet the full cost of, not-for-profit initiatives.
Trustees meet on a quarterly basis to consider pledges up to £3,000, with applications welcomed from community groups or charities based within 10 miles of Manchester Airport. Since its establishment in December 1997, has invested more than £3.5m into worthwhile causes – with some organisations having benefitted from multiple donations in that time.
Friends of Heaton Norris Park, in Stockport, received £2,000 for play equipment in 2012, then were granted around £1,200 for a safety gate in 2016 and received their most recent donation earlier this year, of £1,300 towards a steel framed picnic table, which will be installed this month.
Group organiser Agnes Pimblett explained; “The grants we received have benefitted the local community enormously and continue to do so.
“We would not have had our play equipment without the grant which continues to benefit park users, but also the mother and toddler groups that use the pavilion. The apparatus is played on daily and has stood the test of time.
“We are lucky in our park, as we have the Cheshire Wildlife based with us, and they recently had an open day to show children and adults the wonderful wildlife in their local park and how to protect it.
“Local enthusiasm for preserving wildlife and wanting to know and do more was so infectious and the children had a wonderful day and learned such a lot.
“It is so important for children, in particular, to take some ownership over their environment and a feeling of being able to contribute, especially in this climate when so many things have been out on their control. What better way to do this than to take part in a competition that will involve so much learning about their environment, and will see them develop their own eco-garden where they will have a voice as to how this is created?”
Another Stockport-based group, Friends of Romiley Park, echoed these sentiments. The group was set up in 2005 and has received four donations for planting and landscaping, railing and picnic tables, totalling around £6,150. Beds that were planted in 2006 with Community Trust Fund grants are still in situ and flourishing.
Alan Smith, the group’s secretary, said: “The benefits of gardens and green spaces to both mental and physical health are massive, and our park is a great example. If schools in my area are considering entering the eco-garden competition, I would encourage them to go for it.”
The 25th Anniversary Eco-Garden competition is running in parallel with the regular quarterly meetings, where new applications for funding will continue to be considered. Information on how to apply for a Community Trust Fund grant, and the full criteria, can be found here.
For more details on the Community Trust Fund, or the 25th Anniversary Eco-Garden competition, please contact the team by email – [email protected].
SCHOOLS URGED TO MAKE BIDS FOR £25,000 FUNDING FROM MANCHESTER AIRPORT AHEAD OF UPCOMING DEADLINE
New energy saving super-magnet gets first test run
Testing has begun at Diamond Light Source, the UK’s national synchrotron facility, for an energy-saving super-magnet, designed and built by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) for our next generation of particle accelerator.
Particle accelerators are responsible for some of our greatest scientific breakthroughs in history, such as the discovery of the Higgs boson at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider.
The world needs these powerful and highly complex machines to enable research essential for developing important green technologies, such as better solar cells and more efficient batteries.
Beaming at the speed of light
One particle accelerator can use thousands of high-power, tuneable electromagnets to bend and focus a beam through the machine, close to the speed of light. However, these consume vast amounts of electricity to operate and cool.
Designed by scientists and engineers at STFC’s Daresbury Laboratory, at Sci-Tech Daresbury, the Zero Power Tuneable Optics magnet (ZEPTO) is a permanent, tuneable magnet that consumes zero electrical power.
ZEPTO offers the same flexibility as an electromagnet but does not require power to produce a magnetic field, which could save dramatically on the cost and scale of future particle accelerators.
The Diamond test
Energy consumption, and the associated financial and environmental cost, are key challenges faced when building a next generation particle accelerator.
ZEPTO’s successful commissioning at Diamond kicks off a year-long demonstrator to confirm that it is as reliable and robust as a conventional electromagnet.
During the test, one magnet is expected to save an estimated 136 kg CO2 compared with a conventional electromagnet, with the carbon payback anticipated to be within a year of operation.
Technology for future accelerators
Professor Jim Clarke, Director of STFC’s Accelerator Science and Technology Centre, who led the design and development of the ZEPTO magnet, said:
“The development of the ZEPTO magnet confirms STFC’s ability to design and build the brand new technologies required to build the world’s next generations of research facilities more affordably and sustainably.
I’m so proud to see it installed and running successfully for the first time on an operational facility, this is a significant step in the development for this innovative magnet.”
Making particle accelerators more sustainable
The ZEPTO magnet, developed under STFC’s Proof of Concept Fund, is part of STFC’s growing Sustainable Accelerators Programme and is just one demonstration of STFC’s commitment to making accelerators more sustainable.
Professor Clarke added:
“It’s hugely exciting to be applying our expertise to make particle accelerators more environmentally and financially sustainable, for the benefit of our environment and economy.
This important project is just one example of how accelerator scientists, engineers and technicians at STFC are supporting STFC’s aim to be net-zero by 2040.”
Business and Divorce: Dividing Company Assets in the UK
Experiencing a divorce when there’s a business involved raises many questions. For example, you may wonder if you are able to keep control of your business following a divorce, or how much you will have to pay a spouse so they are no longer a part of the company. You may also question how much you are entitled to if you let your partner keep the business. We examine the various ways in which businesses are divided to help put you in the know.
The basic financial principles of divorce
Courts in the UK will begin by aiming for a 50/50 split of all financial assets. However, several other determining factors will then be brought in to the equation that will affect this weighting. For instance, children whose financial welfare needs to be considered, whether or not either party has medical problems, how long the partnership lasted and what each party has access to financially.
Will I lose my business?
It is not the primary aim of the UK courts to sell businesses in divorces, in most cases they will look to keep the business with its owner, for example, offsetting its value against other matrimonial assets. However, it is possible especially if there is no way to divide assets. In these cases, the courts will attempt to apply financial settlement terms that enable periodical payments so the party holding on to the business has time to raise the necessary funds together to buy the other party out.
How are the assets divided?
The guiding principle of a 50/50 split is a starting point for the courts, regardless of who set up or runs the business. This is usually because a business is considered to be an income for the family unit, and it is often the case that the spouse who was not involved in the business was contributing in different ways to the marriage, for example, running the household, thus allowing the business to run effectively.
*Note that in Scotland, the rules are slightly different in that companies that were set up before you were married are not considered in a divorce.
Transferring the business
Divorcing spouses understandably do not want to work at the same company together, so, when they cannot agree between themselves, it’s logical to the courts that a division of some sorts needs to occur. If a company’s incorporation policies allow for a transfer of ownership, the court can order this, thus giving one party sole ownership and resulting in a clean break order. This transfer is enabled through one party buying out the other’s shares.
If this is not possible, then a new shareholder agreement can be compiled detailing how the business will be managed following the divorce, but it can cause significant problems in the effective running of a business.
Valuing the company
Knowing the value of your business is essential as this detail is required when you complete your disclosure statement at the beginning divorce proceedings. Often, couples will agree on the valuation but if not, you can hire a professional for an accurate value. Contributing factors include whether there are any pension schemes attached to the business, what assets the business has, how the company is structured, and the liquidity of the business’ assets. A forensic accountant will look through all the financial information relating to the company, including accounts, balance sheets, annual returns and P&L accounts and forecasts.
Conclusion
While considering the various aspects of divorce and business, you will also need to ensure it stays running. If, like most businesses, yours requires both parties to consent to decisions, this can make things very difficult. Your first port of call therefore needs to be with a qualified family lawyer.
Owner of Manchester-based vertical farming business wins sustainability award
The owner of a Manchester-based vertical farming business has won a UK-wide Sustainable Small Business award.
Christofer Fisher runs Red Planet Farms, based at Manchester Science Park and he was recognised with the Sustainable Start-up Award.
Award-winner Christofer, who founded the agri-tech firm in January last year, said: “We use zero-pesticides, zero plastic packaging and high-efficiency LED lighting to grow crops indoors. This reduces the amount of energy, water and waste used by traditional forms of agriculture. We can also locate our farms across the UK and close to cities to reduce the huge amount of greenhouse gas emissions associated with transporting produce around the world.”
The 29-year-old added: “Our team was thrilled at the news that we were being recognised for our commitment to sustainability and combating climate change! We are constantly looking to innovate and reduce our impact on the planet, so recognition for our efforts goes a long way in supporting our ambitions. This is why we founded Red Planet Farms, to drive sustainable agriculture forward at a time when it is needed most.”
The awards are part of the Plan it with Purpose initiative run by small business support platform, Enterprise Nation, in partnership with Aviva and TSB with the aim of shining a spotlight on businesses that focus on sustainability and purpose.
Emma Jones, CBE, founder of Enterprise Nation, said: “It’s wonderful to see the progress these small climate-friendly businesses have made and continue to make in their purpose-driven businesses. The reality is, in the fight against the cost-of-living crisis, businesses that are leading the way in sustainability and energy efficiency, while making a meaningful contribution to society, must become an increasingly important feature of the small business community and we must do everything we can to support them.
“Building a business around the circular economy is compelling, and our awards recognise the vital contribution these founders are making.”
Fiona Hyde, Head of Sustainability at TSB said: “We know that reducing our own environmental impact matters to customers and colleagues. We’re proud to support Enterprise Nation’s ‘Plan It with Purpose’ program, helping small businesses make a positive impact and recognising the success of the five brilliant businesses that have won today.”
Plan it with Purpose has been designed to support small and medium businesses and business owners by increasing their understanding of environmental and social issues, showcasing relatable role models, and helping to build sustainable ventures while encouraging change through tailored resources, action plans and recommendations.
Manchester agency Pixel Kicks continues growth with two new wins
Pixel Kicks, the full-service digital agency which is based in Ancoats, is celebrating after winning two brand new clients; one in the tech and the other in the property sector.
The first win is with Zebraware which builds data-rich and immersive software that empowers engineers to design sustainable transport solutions. It delivers high end software for big engineering projects, particularly within the rail industry – including HS2. Pixel Kicks has been appointed to create a brand new website that will showcase the firm’s broad range of services, including its flagship product called Lineardraft which has become the industry standard for electrification design.
The second project is with Perrygate which is a boutique property buying agent business that is based in London. Perrygate works on behalf of private individuals, trusts and family offices to buy residential property in central London. Pixel Kicks will be conducting a full digital marketing audit followed by the design and build of a new website. The agency will be harnessing Perrygate’s reputation of delivering a trustworthy, high quality and low volume service.
Both sites are scheduled to launch in late 2022 or early 2023.
Jamie Bray – business development manager at Pixel Kicks – said: “We are delighted to have been appointed by Zebraware and Perrygate. They operate in completely different sectors but our team’s broad range of expertise means they will be able to tailor and deliver the right solution for both clients.”
Manchester based Travel Counsellors amasses £700 million in new bookings for a record-breaking year
Manchester based Travel Counsellors, the UK’s leading, independent travel company, with headquarters in Trafford City has announced record breaking sales figures for 2022.
In a milestone year* leisure and corporate bookings are out pacing pre-pandemic levels. To date, Travel Counsellors has amassed £700 million in new bookings this year, over 20 per cent up on full year figures for 2019, with September sales up to £75m alone.
All markets in which Travel Counsellors operates are outperforming full year 2019 figures with corporate travel up by 20 per cent versus pre pandemic sales figures. For winter 2022/23, UK leisure destinations are proving popular, seeing their biggest booking volumes yet, followed by trips to North America, cruise holidays, Spain and the Caribbean.
Steve Byrne, CEO of Travel Counsellors, said: “This is a record-breaking year for our Travel Counsellors, who continue to build highly successful travel businesses using our platform and as a result, we are seeing our largest number of new bookings ever. Despite the fact travel only really came back at the beginning of this year after the pandemic, these figures highlight there is a real appetite for people to travel and experience new things. We are not yet seeing a material impact of cost of living on peoples’ buying decisions when it comes to holidays, and our Travel Counsellors are ideally placed to advise their customers and tailor travel best suited to their needs and budget.”
“This bounce back is down to the dedication of our Travel Counsellors community and what they have achieved this year is phenomenal and testament to how Travel Counsellors put their customers first. All the work they did to look after and be there for their customers during the last few years is now coming to fruition and proves people really want to book with a trusted travel advisor who genuinely cares and will look after them every step of their journey.”
The company also continues to attract more professionals looking to grow and scale their businesses using the Travel Counsellors highly personalised, digital platform, with the business investing in its tools, technology and talent to ensure its business owners can focus on delivering the very best experiences to their customers. This year the company has welcomed 140 new Travel Counsellors, with over 1,300 now operating across the UK and a further 400 plus in its overseas operations. During September 116 Travel Counsellors reported their biggest ever month in terms of bookings with one, making £1.7m in sales. The company now has the highest number of Gold Travel Counsellors with over 200 in the top sellers list.
For further information about Travel Counsellors, please visit: www.travelcounsellors.com.
Elevate partners with European Regional Development Fund on new events
Elevate is hosting a series of events to help Greater Manchester-based business leaders pave the way through the constantly changing business landscape. The fully-funded programme is set to aid business owners as they adapt to new processes, ways of working, technologies and increased costs.
Funded through the European Regional Development Fund, the interactive course will help leaders create a culture of innovation, get the best from their teams and prepare themselves for the challenges that lie ahead.
Greater Manchester has an economy of £70.1billion, with a number of leading, international brands calling the North West home – it’s vital the people leading those brands are prepared to tackle any further changes, including the predicted recession.
The sessions will be delivered by Elevate’s co-founder, Ilona Alcock, an experienced trainer, facilitator and business development consultant, with a passion for sustainability, innovation and community.
Speaking on the next event, which will take place on the 18th and 19th October, Ilona commented: “We understand the difficulties faced by many senior business owners at the moment – it’s been a tricky time for all, and to be the leader at the helm with other people’s wellbeing and development at stake is a tough task for anyone. This course is designed to support anyone in a senior leadership role, giving them the chance to address issues they’re currently facing, or may face in the future.
“We’ll cover innovation and idea generation within your team, getting your voice heard – exploring the fear of public speaking and engaging with audiences, leading through change and how to communicate that to stakeholders, alongside other key areas to help leaders ensure their business and culture stays relevant in the current market.”
The next session, due to take place in December and will focus on businesses in the green economy.
For those interested in attending, you can secure your place or gain more information here, or email [email protected]. Fully-funded places are available for those with a trading address within Greater Manchester. For those without one, please do get in touch as we can offer the programme on a chargeable basis.
Elevate’s leadership support programme is fully funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), GMCA and GC Business Growth Hub. Eligibility criteria applies based on the individual business applying for the support which will need to be confirmed prior to the funding being approved.
Hollyoaks welcomes 4Schools winners onto set
A team of students from a Wigan school met stars from Channel 4’s Hollyoaks after being winning the broadcaster’s inaugural national 4Schools competition.
The students from St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School visited the set of the popular drama and met several of the show’s stars and production team in a special behind-the-scenes tour.
4Schools is Channel 4’s initiative to give young people an understanding of the careers open to them in the world of television, film and digital. It is delivered in secondary schools through workshops, live assemblies, online resources, and a national competition.
Earlier this year, schools were invited to ‘Pitch a Programme’ to the channel’s judging panel. Students aged 11-14 were challenged to devise a creative idea around the theme of ‘altogether different’, present a pitch for the idea and record a trailer.
The St Edmund Arrowsmith students – Francesco Foti, George Archer, Jack Stafford, Khaya Maninjwa and Noah Whitlow – came up with a futuristic comedy called ‘One in Seven Billion’.
Angela Powers, the team’s English teacher, praised the students for their imagination, vision and determination saying: “We are so proud of the boys, not only for coming up with this unique idea but also beating off stiff competition from schools across the country. I hope it shows children that a career in the TV and entertainment industry is achievable for all. Who knows what this win might inspire?”
Khaya Maninjwa, who directed the trailer, explained: “Our idea was all about a world where people are born clever but lose their intelligence as they get older. Our antagonist is unique in this future world because he is just an average kid.
“This win is amazing for us. We can’t find the right words to say how delighted we are.”
Catriona White, Digital Commissioning Executive at Channel 4, who led the judging panel, said: “We had so many entries, with teams from Essex, Leeds, London and Wigan making our final shortlist. The quality of entries we saw blew us away. There were ideas for comedies, dramas, game shows and even reality TV shows.
“We were amazed by the quality of thinking and presentation from all the young people who entered. ‘One in 7 Billion’ was such a fantastic original idea, and honestly, the team’s trailer had us all laughing out loud.”
The 4Schools initiative also provides in-school and virtual sessions and resources for schools. It is part of Channel 4’s desire to give young people an understanding of what it is like to work in broadcasting and the creative industries.
The content of the 4Schools sessions is designed to support the curriculum and help schools achieve Gatsby standards by providing contact with employers and labour market information. Delivery is supported by social enterprise TheTalentPeople which also operates GetMyFirstJob.co.uk, the UK’s leading jobs site for young people.
School leaders and teachers interested in 4Schools can find out more at www.4Schools.co.uk
Export Fund unlocks growth for fitness software platform
Membr, a fitness software platform based in Manchester, is expanding to new territories after repaying its third loan from the GM Export Fund, delivered by GC Business Finance (GCBF). The total of £400,000 has so far helped with product development to ensure the platform is marketable in new international territories.
Founded by Jack Malin following his early career as a personal trainer, Membr is a cloud-based software platform that offers a full gym management solution used by over 2,000 gyms worldwide.
Following three separate funding rounds from GC Business Finance over a two-year period, Membr has grown from a team of 14 to over 50 and is still actively hiring. It provides software to the biggest global gym franchise, Anytime Fitness, providing a platform for its gyms in Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. 85 per cent of Membr’s revenue is from international markets.
The majority of the investment has gone towards product development to ensure the software can accommodate local regulations and languages. Membr has recently launched in Japan and is the currently only foreign software company operating there. To support this growth, Membr is looking to take on several more employees in its Manchester based team this year to continue the development.
Jack Malin, CEO of Membr, said: “We’re delighted with just how far and wide Membr has grown! From an original idea to help personal trainers to more effectively manage their time to ending up as a total software solution for gym owners in over 20 countries across the globe, the whole team is very proud of what we have achieved so far. We wouldn’t be here without the continued help and support from GC Business Finance who supported us and helped get us to where we are today.
GC Business Finance (GCBF) provides alternative finance products to support growing businesses who are unable to obtain funding through a mainstream lender such as a high street bank, to achieve their goals. It has a proven track record in supporting SMEs across the North West.
Andy Nichols, senior loan manager at GC Business Finance, said: “We strive to support businesses that show huge innovation but have been overlooked by other lenders. We are elated to have supported the team at Membr and hope to continue playing a part in their growth in the future. Funding is still available through the GM Export Fund for growing businesses based in Greater Manchester, so we’d encourage any business with export ambitions to get in touch!”
To find out about the GM Export Fund and how businesses benefit from loans of up to £250,000 read more here: https://businessfinance.growthco.uk/what-we-do/export-loans/
Britain must be careful with data protection laws overhaul, claims legal expert
BRITAIN needs to be careful with how it overhauls data protection laws and strike a balance between helping businesses, facilitating international trade and protecting consumers, a legal expert has warned.
Last week Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan pledged to scrap existing General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and devise new laws to reduce red tape.
It could see small businesses benefit from smoother processes and reduced costs, but could potentially pose a risk to individuals’ data and privacy.
Lauren McKee, Senior Lawyer at Manchester-based commercial law firm LegalVision, said: “Data is like gold to businesses – it can help keep current customers, attract new ones by learning more about them and provide interesting data points that drive business decisions.
“As it stands now, GDPR can be tricky and expensive for businesses, especially smaller ones, to comply with.
“Small businesses need to spend a lot of time and cost to be fully compliant with the GDPR, including investing in state of the art security measures, requirements to document internal privacy processes, running risk assessments, appointing people to particular roles, making marketing compliant with the laws and so on.
“It will be interesting to see how Britain’s attempt at creating its own data protection rules manifests itself as it looks towards moving away from existing EU laws.
“While we don’t yet know exactly what this will involve, it is very important that whatever happens we manage to strike the right balance between making things easier for businesses without putting individuals’ data at risk of being abused or jeopardising international business relationships.”
Since the GDPR was introduced by the EU in 2018, businesses have had to comply with a series of regulations devised to protect customers’ data.
The UK Government is looking at ways to reduce the red tape, but recently paused a draft data reform bill.
Officials claim smoother processes will help businesses save up to £1billion across ten years.
But experts are keeping a close eye for further information on exactly how the new laws would affect day-to-day lives and affect international business.
Lauren added: “We have to be careful with how these new laws are devised so we don’t remove ourselves too far from the European Union’s laws.
“The UK has an adequacy decision which basically says that the UK’s data protection laws provide adequate protection for personal data, and we don’t want to do anything that would risk that status.
“We also need to keep in mind that small businesses who will still work with the EU, particularly online businesses, may end up in a situation where they face twice the work and costs as they will have to comply with EU laws and new British laws.
“Overhauling the UK’s data protection laws isn’t a straightforward move, there are a lot of important factors that will need to be considered that affect businesses’ and consumers’ day-to-day lives.”
LegalVision is a commercial law firm that provides businesses with affordable and ongoing assistance through their industry-first membership scheme.
