19 C
Manchester
Monday, August 18, 2025
Home Blog Page 957

Pennine achieves double public sector procurement framework success

0

Pennine has been selected as a supplier on two procurement frameworks which will enable the communications, data and networking specialist to tender for public sector contracts worth more than £10m.

The Scottish Government and Crown Commercial Service (CCS) have placed the Bury-headquartered company as an approved supplier of specific products and services.

In Scotland, Pennine satisfied stringent eligibility criteria, which included third-party certification, to be selected as a supplier across all three lots on the framework under the Telephony Services category of the Government’s Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for Traditional Telephony, IP Telephony and Enterprise Bundled Services.

The DPS is designed to offer Scottish public sector bodies with easy access to a full range of telephony services through an electronic procurement process.

Having been appointed to the DPS Pennine can now bid for contracts awarded by central and local government, universities and colleges, health service providers, third sector organisations and other state bodies.

The value of the Telephony Services DPS is estimated at £10m during its 12-month lifespan. The Scottish Government also has an option to extend the DPS for a further year.

Meanwhile the CCS has placed Pennine on the new G-Cloud 10 (G10) procurement framework which was launched on July 2. The company was successful in securing placings across the three available lots of Cloud Hosting, Cloud Software and Cloud Support.

Now in its tenth iteration, G-Cloud was first established in 2012 and since then contracts worth nearly £3 billion have been awarded through the framework.

Commenting on its latest public procurement bid successes, Pennine’s managing director Andrew Roberts said: “Quite rightly, government procurement bodies make businesses jump through significant hoops to secure accreditation on purchasing frameworks.

“We’re delighted that both the Scottish Government and Crown Commercial Service have acknowledged that Pennine can be relied upon to provide the technical expertise, service excellence and value-for-money demanded by ever budget-conscious public sector body.”

Success in its bids with the Scottish Government and CCS follows on from Pennine being placed upon the Crescent Purchasing Consortium’s (CPC) three-year telecoms framework.

This covers provision of specialist telephony and unified communications solutions to more than 5,000 CPC member institutions in the education sector.

Manchester Fintech Start-up shortlisted for National Award

0

Manchester-based fintech company Arro Money have been shortlisted for a prestigious award by innovation drivers the Emerging Payments Association. Nominated for the Leading Payments Start-Up category of the Emerging Payments Awards, Arro Money were the only business based in the North to be nominated, with the other 4 finalists all London based.

These annual awards recognise companies that have made significant advances in how we pay today. Arro Money now has over 20,000 personal account holders and continues to grow month on month. The business has recently moved to larger premises in Stretford to accommodate its rapid growth.

“Manchester has become an ideal location to launch a new business and we’re proud to fly the flag for the north at a national level” says CEO and co-founder Muhammad Asim. “This shortlisting proves that fintech businesses can flourish outside the capital and our rapid growth is testament to our ongoing success.”

In addition to offering an inclusive personal account with online money management functionality, Arro Money now also offer a business account for both limited companies and sole traders.

The winners are announced at a glittering ceremony in London attended by 700 of the industry’s most senior opinion-formers and decision-makers.

“It’s a competitive category and the other nominees are impressive,” says Jonathan Farnell, fellow director and CRO. “However, I believe we’re a serious contender and look forward to hearing the results.”

Bruntwood’s flexible serviced space attracts trio to Trafford house

0

A trio of fast-growing businesses has located at Bruntwood’s Trafford House on Chester Road, taking three flexible serviced offices with the leading regional property company.

Daniel Owen, a recruitment company specialising in the construction environment; Sauter Automation, a building management and room automation specialist; and Linear Recruitment, which specialises in construction recruitment, have all moved into new office spaces at the building.

Trafford House is situated between Manchester United FC and Old Trafford Cricket Club on Chester Road in Old Trafford. The landmark building offers high-quality, flexible serviced office space, which is proving particularly popular with the fast-growing SMEs. Many businesses look to stay and expand within the building and relish the opportunity presented by the short, flexible leases, which are available for as little as one month – ideal for growing companies with changing or temporary requirements.

Andrew Cooke, regional director at Bruntwood, said: “Flexibility can be the difference between sink or swim for many small businesses, and that’s something we understand. Providing a location which supports and enables companies to thrive and grow is at the heart of our ambition for Trafford House and we’re so pleased to be welcoming two new businesses and continuing a valued relationship with an existing customer.

“Trafford House is an extremely flexible, convenient option, providing businesses with a fully-equipped office, complete with the furniture and fittings they will need. Our friendly, personable team is on hand to take away the day to day hassle of running an office – an ideal solution for busy people who would rather be focusing energy on developing their businesses.

“A lot of our customers grow with us, and as such, we also offer expansion space for businesses that want to move to a managed leased office option. We wish our new arrivals every success and look forward to seeing them thrive in their new space.”

Bruntwood has invested in a new wireless infrastructure which will allow customers to take their secure, high speed network beyond their desk, and into the new business lounge, meeting room and co-working booths. Furthermore, Trafford House is one of the most highly connected buildings in the area with speeds available today of up to 10Gb.

Companies can also access the building’s fitness studio which features Les Mills classes, their dedicated onsite team and the community event programme which brings like-minded businesses together. Trafford House also has on-site car parking, a gym, showers and bicycle storage.

Linear Recruitment has taken 12 desks in the building. The company offers temporary, contract and permanent recruitment services across construction, rail, power and utilities, and industrial sectors. The company has specialist teams across the country, providing national coverage through offices in Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Northampton, and London. The business’ new office at Trafford House will be its second Bruntwood base – it also has an office at the developer’s West One building in Leeds.

Sauter Automation provides products, expertise and solutions for building management and room automation throughout the building life cycle. An existing resident in the building, the company had been based on the building’s fourth floor since 2002. It will be locating internally, to take eight desks on the second floor of Trafford House.

Construction recruitment company Daniel Owen is moving into Trafford House and has taken two desks in the building. The business operates nationally from offices in London, Reading, Oxford, Bristol, Taunton, Walsall and Birmingham and works with some of the UK’s largest construction, maintenance and engineering companies, placing quality temporary and permanent workers to all roles in the Built Environment.

Adam Turner, Managing Director, Linear Recruitment, said: “We’re excited to further expand our North West operation by moving to Trafford House. As a well-established national construction recruitment brand, we work with major construction businesses across the North West region sourcing and placing high quality candidates in temporary, contract, and permanent roles, often working on an exclusive basis.

“I’m delighted Bruntwood has been able to accommodate the sustained, year on year growth we’re seeing in our business, and in the North West construction market as a whole. It’s an impressive office space which reflects our commitment to providing the highest quality service to all those we work with, and we’re looking forward to welcoming our clients and candidates soon. I wish Caroline Oberman, our Regional Manager, and her team every success in Linear Manchester’s new home.”

Treetop Manchester welcomes over 26,000 visitors in its first year

0

Treetop Trek and Treetop Nets in Manchester’s Heaton Park have just celebrated their first anniversary and have revealed that to date, since opening in 2017 they have welcomed over 26,000 people, of all ages, to enjoy aerial adventures high up in the trees. 

The attractions were launched by Wigan-born entrepreneur Mike Turner following the success of his award-winning aerial adventure attractions in Windermere and North Yorkshire and have proved to a hit with both locals and tourists alike, from young professionals through to multi-generational families. 

Mike said: “The response in Manchester has been great, we’ve welcomed visitors all year round from all over Manchester and the surrounding area, including a large number of local schools and colleges.  

“People have been really receptive to both Treetop Trek and Treetop Nets and seem to value an outdoor attraction where they can get an amazing high ropes experience, be active together and enjoy the amazing green space that Heaton Park has to offer, it’s all here really. 

“We’d like to thank the Manchester community for all their support over the last 12 months.”

Manchester’s leading SME apprenticeship expertise spreads around Europe

UK and European businesses will benefit from improved support and access to apprentices thanks to a unique partnership led by Manchester Metropolitan University.

The Growing Apprenticeship Partnerships for SMEs (SME GAP) project sees Manchester Metropolitan working in partnership with Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and agencies in the Austrian capital Vienna and Cordoba in Spain, to better target the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and increase the number of businesses hiring apprentices.

The project, which is co-funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ Programme, will address issues that apprenticeship deliverers and policy makers face while ensuring greater numbers of SMEs are aware of the opportunities available to them.

Over the past two years, each partner has been working with its local stakeholder organisations and deliverers of apprenticeship programmes on a series of events and awareness campaigns.

The partners have been bringing together SMEs and apprenticeship providers to identify shared solutions that will close the gaps that currently exist in this area.

Russell Yates, Enterprise Development Fellow at Manchester Metropolitan, said: “While apprenticeship systems vary between countries, all businesses have the same needs and face confusion about the systems available. This is compounded by a lack of understanding of the benefits of hiring an apprentice, with many businesses often noticing only the ‘cost’.

“However, there is evidence to suggest that organisations can gain business benefits by hiring an apprentice while ensuring that they are able to develop the skills that they need.”

Manchester Metropolitan will continue to work with its partners to promote the project’s activities widely and enable best practices to be embedded by training providers and business support organisations in the UK, Spain and Austria.

Russell added: “Businesses across the partnership have told us about the very positive experiences they have had when hiring an apprentice. We have been encouraging businesses to talk to each other about their experiences while helping the SME community by removing the barriers in their involvement.

“As a direct result of the project, Greater Manchester will have directly involved over 650 SMEs in discussions about apprenticeships by the end of August 2018.”

More than 70 delegates came together at the King Street Townhouse in Manchester on July 3 to listen to the achievements made since the project launched in January 2017.

The attendees also discussed the next steps to ensure the project’s legacy lives on through the involvement and support of other providers.

Delegates from the University of Cordoba have already visited Manchester Metropolitan to learn more about degree apprenticeships, with a view to developing the first of its kind in Spain, while a Manchester team visiting Vienna reached an agreement with the Austrian Ministries to implement more provision in the digital sector.

Speaking at the event, Professor Julia Clarke, Pro-Vice Chancellor of Business and Law at Manchester Metropolitan, said: “We are working with our partners to make apprenticeships simpler to understand through clear and consistent advice, enabling more employers to access high-quality apprentices and giving them the best chance to grow their business.

“Welcoming our partners from Vienna and Cordoba to Manchester, alongside SMEs and policy makers, allows us to embed the work carried out to date into business support and training provision across Greater Manchester.”

The SME GAP project builds on Manchester Metropolitan’s pioneering work in apprenticeship provision and enterprise.

The University was one of the one of the first institutions in the UK to introduce degree apprenticeships and has supported more than 12,000 businesses through its Centre for Enterprise since 2012.

Myprotein to power up Sale Sharks with exclusive partnership

0

Leading sports nutrition brand Myprotein has agreed an exclusive deal with Premiership Rugby side Sale Sharks to become the club’s official sports nutrition provider.

The Cheshire-based firm will work closely with the club’s nutritionists and coaching teams to provide the first team squad – including England stars Denny Solomona and Tom Curry – and the Sharks Academy with a wide range of its award-winning products and supplements.

Myprotein is Europe’s #1 sports nutrition brand, operating localised websites in 52 countries and in 33 languages. The firm was acquired by The Hut Group (THG) back in 2011 and now sells the largest range of sports-nutrition supplements in the industry to six million customers worldwide.

Ex-England and Sale Sharks winger Mark Cueto – now the club’s Commercial Director – said: “As a player, Myprotein was a nutrition brand I used and held in very high regard so it’s fantastic to be officially bringing them into the Sharks family.

“This partnership brings together two huge brands from the North West region and it comes at a great time for us with pre-season training just getting underway. As we look forward to an exciting season ahead, we’re really pleased to have such a well-respected sports nutrition brand by our side.”

Rick Swaby, Head of Sports Science and Senior Strength and Conditioning Coach at Sale Sharks, added: “Myprotein is a fantastic sports nutrition company that can offer us a vast, high-quality range of products that are already Informed-Sport approved for the specific needs of our players.

“Getting the right nutrition is so important in top level sport, from building strength and increasing fitness levels right through to recovery after training and games. Small margins can make all the difference and a lot of our players already use Myprotein products as part of their nutrition programmes, so it’s great that the entire squad will now be able to benefit from the full range of products.”

The Sharks squad, including recent signings Chris Ashton and Rohan Janse van Rensburg, have already started an intense pre-season schedule, with the first team training up to three times a day in preparation for the season curtain-raiser against Wasps at the Ricoh Arena on Saturday, September 2.

They also take on Castres Olympique on August 8, and Edinburgh Rugby a week later in two pre-season friendlies.

A spokesperson from Myprotein at The Hut Group, added: “We’re delighted to have confirmed a new partnership with Sale Sharks, reinforcing our commitment to sport in the UK and strengthening our ties with top-level rugby clubs in our local community.

“As the North West’s only Premiership Rugby side, Sale Sharks has appeal right across the region with a squad full of world-class international players at the very top of their game.

“Performance is at the heart of everything we do at Myprotein and I know the club shares the same ethos as us, working closely with the squad and individual players to ensure every aspect of their nutrition, recovery and wellbeing is looked after.

“It’s a perfect partnership and we’re confident we can help fuel the club’s success this season, from the training ground right through to the pitch during each and every match.”

Better use of data could improve health outcomes in multiple sclerosis, leading experts claim

0

A review of multiple sclerosis (MS) services in the UK suggests data and technology could improve health outcomes for more than 100,000 people living with the condition.

‘Improving care for people with MS: the potential of data and technology’ unveils a series of proposals from healthcare, industry, and technology specialists, which they believe could transform MS services and commissioning.

The MS Society, which developed the report, says failing to better use data and technology will mean longer waiting times, difficulties monitoring treatments, and increasingly squeezed budgets.

Consultant Neurologist Dr David Rog, from Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, said: “MS services in the UK vary considerably and, despite the best efforts of dedicated teams, are under increasing pressure. Effective use of data and technology can change that, for example by empowering people with MS to self-manage. As a Global Digital Exemplar, our Trust has been on a real digital journey, and can now not only identify the thousands of people with MS under our care, the treatments they’re taking and how they use the service, but also the people who haven’t been seen, and how we’re performing.

“MS is a painful, unpredictable condition, and if simple changes can so obviously improve efficiency and sustainability, we can’t afford to ignore them – and nor can our patients.”

The report was developed in response to what the charity describes as an unacceptably slow pace of change in health and care services for people with MS, and the recognition that something must urgently be done to support self-management and address increasing NHS staff workloads.

Michelle Mitchell, Chief Executive at the MS Society, said: “The potential of data and digital technology to improve outcomes in MS is so vast, what’s being used today barely begins to scratch the surface. Sadly, this means 100,000 people with MS in the UK are still facing needless variations in care and increasingly restricted access to services.

“We hope this report will be a catalyst for change, so we can finally have personalised, coordinated services that meet the complex needs of people living with MS. The third sector has its part to play too, and we’re looking at ways to improve our own digital offering and leading by example. Together, we’re strong enough to stop MS.”

The recommendations include:

  • Encourage all CCGs to assess use of local neurological services , to increase visibility of people with MS and ultimately improve service design and availability
  • Evaluate existing MS digital tools (e.g. apps) to increase effectiveness and enable recommendations from people with MS or health professionals
  • Use digital care plans to improve coordination between professionals so they can analyse and share medical data and histories more easily
  • Link prescribing data to information about outcomes to help people with MS make better decisions about treatment, and target unwarranted variation in access
  • Help people with MS understand how their data will be used to encourage data-sharing
  • Bring the international MS community together to agree outcomes measures for MS, and focus on the things that truly matter to those living with the condition
  • Ensure all MS-specific technologies are robustly tested with the MS population, with the MS Society acting as a conduit between patients, professionals and technology companies

The MS Society believes that through implementing these new recommendations, healthcare professionals and commissioners can help people with MS stay out of hospital, and empower them to take greater control over their lives. The charity is also in the process of establishing an ‘MS Technology Forum’, designed to bring together people with MS, tech developers, healthcare professionals and researchers to deepen our understanding of what technologies would best help people with MS self-manage.

Jane is in her sixties and has secondary progressive MS. She said: “Technology has had a profound impact on how I manage my MS. A few years ago I lost the ability to use my hands, but I’ve been able to keep my independence because of access to new technology – I can operate my computer by voice control, and have another system that lets me answer the phone and lock the door. Being able to participate in society – whether that’s speaking to friends, accessing news, or doing your own shopping – should be a basic right, but sadly I fear I’m in the minority.

“If you can get a drone to deliver a kindle, it doesn’t make sense that MS services still feel in the dark ages for so many people. Technology can help you better manage your condition and vastly improve your mood, so I hope others don’t have to wait much longer to have the benefits I’ve had.”

NGC Networks opens North West office

0

Business communications specialist NGC Networks has signalled its intention to grow its North West presence with the opening of a new office and the creation of 10 jobs.

Yorkshire-based NGC opened the doors of its new office at Bury Business Park, Greater Manchester.

The business has commenced a recruitment drive and has already appointed experienced mobiles specialist Alex Stephens, who brings a wealth of experience in sales roles with Vodafone, EE and O2.

Steve Tipper, head of mobile, is leading the recruitment campaign, which has an initial emphasis on NGC’s Business Mobiles division.

NGC Networks specialises in implementing telecommunications and internet connectivity solutions for businesses across the North of England, with a focus on the Northern Powerhouse.

Nikki Guest, director at NGC Networks, said: “We’re excited to announce our new office in Greater Manchester as part of a strategy to grow our customer base in the North West.

“Alex is a fantastic addition to the team and we look forward to welcoming a number of new faces over the coming months as we build our regional presence.

“We look forward to providing our quality service to even more businesses, drawing on relationships with the leading networks coupled with a personal approach, where we offer consultative advice and solutions, bespoke to customers’ individual needs.”

Alex started his career as a corporate account manager at O2, looking after the East of England, before joining the North West team of EE as senior business development manager during the network’s exclusive rollout of 4G.

Two years later, he joined Vodafone to hone his skills as a telecommunications consultant, covering all aspects of business communications.

He said: “Having spent valuable time learning within three of the UK’s leading networks, I have a wealth of experience that I intend to put to good use by helping companies to identify the right network for their workforce along with the best product offering and price. NGC’s partnerships with all three networks means I’m perfectly placed to deliver on this promise.”

The Red Devils drop into EventCity

0

World-renowned British Army parachute team, The Red Devils, delivered a stunning display parachute jump into the EventCity car park to mark the opening of the 2018 Outdoor Trade Show at EventCitY.

This UK’s largest outdoor trade show (OTS) took place at EventCity for the first time from 3-5 July this year. The trade-only exhibition allows retailers across a variety of markets to see a wide selection of brands presenting clothing, footwear and accessory products.

Simon Jones, Sales Director, EventCity, said: “The Outdoor Trade Show is a fantastic event and we were proud to host it at EventCity. This has proved a highly popular trade show and has welcomed 950 visitors (up 7.5% from last year) over the three-day exhibition. The Red Devils display jump into the EventCity car park was a spectacular start, which really highlights the versatility and flexibility of our venue – the possibilities are endless.”

The parachute team, sponsored by Victorinox, could be viewed from various points on site, including EventCity’s 2,000-space car park.

Show organiser Marta Williams, Director, Media Contact Services (MCS) commented: “The move to Manchester was daunting following 12 years at Stoneleigh Park, but we could not be happier with the venue and the team, nothing was too much trouble, it definitely was the right decision. The positive atmosphere was experienced in the hall from the build-up days through the three days of the show. Feedback has been excellent, not only due to the increase in visitor numbers but the quality of those who attended. We look forward to an even bigger and better event for 2019.”

EventCity is located in TraffordCity, Manchester, and is a ground-breaking venue in the heart of the north. It is the region’s largest, fully flexible, blank canvas exhibition and multipurpose event venue with 28,000 sq.m. of versatile space, and delivers tailored and bespoke events from concept to completion.

Manchester’s Havas Lynx scoops Healthcare Agency of the Year at Cannes

0

A Manchester healthcare communications agency is celebrating after claiming top honours at one of the world’s largest awards for the creative and marketing communications industry.

Havas Lynx, which employs nearly 300 people at its office in Princess Street, was named the Cannes Lions Healthcare Agency of the Year 2018, as well as collecting three prestigious Cannes Lions Awards.

The Lions Health Awards are the most established and sought-after awards for the sector and are recognised globally as the ultimate achievement in creativity.

The evening started well for Havas Lynx as it picked up a Bronze award in Cinematography for ‘The Attack’, a tense and striking film metaphorically comparing the unbearable pain of a heart attack to a shark attack out at sea. The impactful film is designed to urge cardiologists to keep treating heart attack victims to reduce the risk of often fatal second heart attacks.

The company, who also has offices in London and New York, then went on to pick up two Silver Lions. The first was in the Product Innovation category for ‘Ouchie’, a campaign designed to raise awareness and support children with JIA (Junior Idiopathic Arthritis). The second silver was in the Art Direction category for its inspired and inventive Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Rollercoaster campaign.

However, the ultimate win came when Havas Lynx were named as Cannes Lions Healthcare Agency of the Year 2018. This prestigious award is given annually in recognition of the agency that obtains the most points across both wins and shortlisted entries.

Havas Lynx CCO Tom Richards commented on the triple win and Agency of the Year 2018 title: “This is momentous for Havas Lynx. To win three awards here was an amazing achievement, but then to go on and win Cannes Lions Healthcare Agency of the Year, was incredible. It is testament to the work and dedication of the whole team… we couldn’t be prouder to be bringing the trophies back to Manchester.

“Winning at Cannes is a defining moment for us and it’s thanks to the continued dedication, determination and ambition of our team, not to mention the extraordinary work of our clients. They trust us to communicate their healthcare innovations in a way which challenges and subverts industry expectations.”

He concluded: “We take great pride in our work and we continually strive to create bold, highly creative and powerful work, which resonates with both healthcare professionals, patients and caregivers to ultimately improve the future of healthcare and change lives for the better.”

Havas Lynx has grown from a small creative agency formed in the Northern Quarter of Manchester into a global healthcare communications agency, offering campaign development, brand strategy, capability building and education services.

It celebrated its 30th birthday in 2016 and over the last two years has grown almost 20%, creating over 60 new jobs to take its global workforce to over 300.