Authority’s Board agrees £80m of project funding and announces new members
Members of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority’s Board have approved plans to deliver around £80m of projects across the region.
More than £15m was granted to housing projects, including the conversion of Cannon Brewery to provide over 500 new homes in Sheffield and the retrofit of insulation to over 300 homes in Doncaster.
A £760k grant was made to improve active travel options along the Tinsley-Magna corridor between Sheffield and Rotherham, while £670k is being released for the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Capability Fund, in advance of money being received from government to support the roll-out of charging infrastructure across all four South Yorkshire districts.
The Board agreed to formally wind down the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership from September, and replace it with two new consultative boards. Applications to the Business Advisory Board were made over the summer, with the first appointments now made.
The first six appointments are: Louisa Harrison Walker representing the three South Yorkshire Chambers (Barnsley & Rotherham, Doncaster and Sheffield); Rachel Abbott representing the Cutlers, South Yorkshire International Trade Forum, Manufacturers Forum and Made In Sheffield; Dawn Huntrod representing MakeUK; Paula Gouldthorpe representing the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB); Angela Foulkes representing the South Yorkshire Skills Advisory Board (SYSAB); and Liz Blackshaw representing the Northern Trade Union Congress.
Members were also updated on the latest plans for the Local Visitor Economy Partnership, South Yorkshire Music Hub and Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
Chamber AGM takes place in mood of ‘cautious optimism’
Cautious optimism was the theme of the AGM of West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce at The Great Victoria Hotel in Bradford.
Chaired by Amanda Beresford of Schofield Sweeney, the thirty-minute meeting delved into how the Chamber has performed over the past twelve months – both in a financial sense and the physical work performed by Chamber members.
The annual report, produced by James Mason, chief executive of the WNY Chamber, discusses the many achievements of the Chamber and the progress which has been made over the past year.
This report was adopted by the Chamber members at the AGM unanimously and Amanda further noted that, despite recent challenges arising from political upheaval, interest rates and inflation, “optimism levels remain higher in Yorkshire than the national average and businesses are showing little sign of looking to reduce head counts.”
Elsewhere within the meeting, sixteen individuals, nominated by local representative groups were appointed as non-executive directors of the West & North Yorkshire Chamber. These individuals included Amanda and James, in addition to Laurence Beardmore, Chris Black, Mike Briffett, Aquila Choudhry, Mark Cowgill, Sarah Czarnecki, Rebecca Fitzgerald, Kerry Hope, Scott Jenkins, Nasreen Karim, Dan Murray, Craig Thomson, Victoria Wainwright and Suzanne Watson. Following this appointment, Chamber members were asked to accept members of each of the three area representative groups (the Bradford Chamber Leadership Group, the York & North Yorkshire Chamber Leadership Group, and the Leeds Chamber Leadership Group).
After the AGM came the Annual Lunch, at which members got an opportunity to listen to three guest speakers: Zulfi Karim DL, West Yorkshire High Sheriff, David Kerfoot and Alison Lowe from West Yorkshire Combined Authority and then take part in an informative Q and A session.
Wren Kitchens works with University of Hull on net zero journey
Academics from the University of Hull are working with kitchen manufacturer Wren Kitchens to accelerate their journey to net zero.
The partnership will see academics from Hull University Business School use a unique supply chain carbon mapping tool, developed at the University, to help the company become more sustainable. It will also allow customers to make choices based on the carbon footprint of each kitchen item, at point of sale, offering them the chance to make more sustainable choices. Wren Kitchens and the University of Hull have secured a Knowledge Transfer Partnership from Innovate UK, to fund the two-year project. The KTP will facilitate accelerated access to this specialist expertise and knowledge within Hull University Business School. It will also enable Wren Kitchens to fully embed environmental sustainability knowledge, know-how and innovation from the University, right across their business. This will provide the foundations for an in-house sustainability team, facilitating access to new emergent eco-conscious markets globally. Lee Holmes, Logistics Director at Wren Kitchens, said: “We believe this will be an industry first and the catalyst for others in the Humber Region to take a holistic approach to their impact on society. We hope this project will deliver thought leadership to the manufacturing sector by being future-focussed beyond the ISO regulations, and take a leading role in the region to establish and develop a circular economy. “The ultimate aim is to fully embed environmental sustainability into the company beyond the project end and offer our customers a footprint calculation output into user friendly on-pack claims in the online sales ordering process for customer awareness and enhanced informed choice.” Dr Sarah Shaw, Reader in Logistics & Supply Chain Management at the University, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be working with Wren Kitchens on this exciting, innovative research project. The KTP will enable Wren Kitchens to have capacity and capability to baseline their supply chain carbon footprint and make this data available to customers and to drive carbon inset improvement decisions.” In order to ensure sustainability remains at the heart of the company, two senior members of staff will study PhDs on the theme of sustainability, further demonstrating the company’s commitment to being a forward thinking and research driven business that wants to embrace cutting edge research and knowledge.CATCH announces plan for £60m training facility at Stallingborough
CATCH has announced ambitious plans to develop a £60M state-of-the-art training facility capable of training 1,000 apprentices a year by 2029.
The facility would be at its Stallingborough HQ, and aims to tackle the engineering construction skill shortages anticipated in the Humber cluster and across the UK.
In anticipation of a series of Net Zero projects set to start as early as next year, a significant demand for skilled labour is said to be on the horizon. These projects are projected to generate a potential 20,000 new industrial jobs, necessitating an unprecedented, rapid upscaling of the existing skills pipelines. Following initial funding support from key industrial sponsors, and CATCH members Phillips 66 Limited, Harbour Energy, and VPI Power, CATCH has developed plans for the future training centre expansion needed to deliver 1000 new learners per year by 2029. Developing towards a future final investment decision, CATCH plans to continue to build broad support across industry and government for this new national net zero training centre. Subject to further partner engagement and planning permission, the new facility is planned to house a national net zero conference and learning centre, bespoke classrooms and workshops for electrical, instrumentation, mechanical technical skills, a welding and fabrication hub with an impressive 160 welding bays, and a UK first of kind outdoor Process Unit Training Module to enable a real process site experience in a safe environment for all trade skills. In addition, provisions cater for enhanced car parking facilities and a dedicated CATCH regional bus infrastructure to help get talented apprentices to the site from across the Lincolnshire and Yorkshire regions. CATCH CEO David Talbot said: “Our phased strategy ensures a sustainable expansion of apprenticeship numbers, targeting the training of 1,000 apprentices annually by 2029. “The backbone of this initiative’s success will be the support from the industrial supply chain. Many companies understandably are waiting to assess the skills landscape before committing to expanding or creating new apprenticeship vacancies. Our proposed new facility helps to mitigate this risk, with dedicated support from the CATCH team, the industrial supply chain can be confident that together we can ensure that the skills pipeline is sustainable for the low carbon future. “It’s a complex picture, and we realise that we cannot do this alone, we all need to pull together as a region, to solve one of the biggest challenges to deploying the net zero infrastructure. This tabled investment represents a vital piece in the puzzle of the UK’s decarbonisation journey. Central to CATCH’s vision is the cultivation of the next generation of skilled highly paid labour. Through their dedicated schools’ engagement team, CATCH aims to tap into the local communities, shedding light on STEM career paths and fuelling aspirations. “Our mission is clear: to inspire and educate the industry’s future craftspeople. The UK’s path to net zero starts with today’s youth, and we’re here to ensure they have the resources, skills, and opportunities to lead the way.” Paul Fursey, Lead Executive UK and Humber Refinery General Manager said: “To build the infrastructure required to deliver net zero for the UK, we need to invest in creating the skilled workforce of tomorrow. CATCH’s new Net Zero Training Centre will become a hub of excellence, demonstrating how the UK can increase the knowledge and skills needed to deliver the net zero targets. Through support from Phillips 66 Limited and our fellow delivery sponsors, Harbour Energy and VPI, local industry support, and local schools and colleges, we believe we can make a powerful difference to inspire the next generation of welders, pipefitters, mechanical fitters, platers, scaffolders and much more.”Wakefield Trinity to be acquired by Matt Ellis of DIY-Kitchens
An agreement has been reached, subject to legal completion, for rugby club Wakefield Trinity to be acquired by Matt Ellis of DIY-Kitchens.
John Minards, chairman, said: “I am delighted that we have reached agreement with Matt for this deal to go through following months of discussions and working together through what has been a very difficult time on the field. Please join me in welcoming Matt and his family as the next custodians of the institution that is Wakefield Trinity.
“Despite the disappointment of relegation, the club is in a great position for success in the near term. The East Stand is almost open for business and its completion marks the end of a significant phase of our stadium redevelopment, following the new floodlights, screen and playing surface as well as the rebuilding of the North Stand.
“In addition, our recent submission to the RFL in respect of Grading contains very positive metrics, particularly in the areas of financial strength and fandom. Put together with the impact of the new facilities which will be included in 2024, we anticipate a very favourable outcome when Grading comes in for the 2025 season.
“There are so many reasons to be positive and optimistic about the future of our great club – just read what Matt Ellis has to say!”
Matt said: “I have been working with Michael and John over the past few months regarding the takeover of the club and now terms have been agreed and the deal is at the final stage I feel it is appropriate to write a statement to our loyal supporters.
“I am sure just like myself and everyone associated with the club you are feeling deeply saddened by the club ultimately failing to maintain Super League status for the first time since 1999.
“This is not through a lack of effort from Mark Applegarth but ultimately we haven’t been good enough.
“We now need to move on to the next chapter in the club’s history, it is my intention to complete the takeover of the club in the next 14 days.
“I have supported the club since going to watch a game at Oakwell in 1999 where we successfully beat St Helens. I have always been a sports fanatic but since that game Rugby League was the game for me and Trin were the team for me. I am originally from Barnsley but I have lived in the Wakefield area since 2010.
“The journey of owning the club in my mind really started in 2020 when my company DIY Kitchens agreed to become the club’s main kit sponsor. Ultimately ASUS came back in and the deal fell through but ever since then it has been in my mind to takeover the club. 2020 wasn’t the right time due to work commitments but when Micheal expressed a desire to leave the club earlier this year I felt the timing was right this time.
“My company DIY-Kitchens may be known to some of you but for anyone who doesn’t know we are an online kitchen retailer and manufacturer and employ 550 people in the Wakefield/Leeds postcode area.
“Enough of the back story, what you would like to know is what is next for the club and what I hope to achieve as the new owner of the club.
- Invest finances in the club to allow us to have the budget to maintain a full-time playing squad and to bounce back into Super League and then challenge to be a top 6 Super League club in the coming years.
- Create a winning culture at the club where everyone involved with club gives 100% effort.
- Appoint Daryl Powell as the new head coach on an initial 4-year deal.
- Appoint a recruitment and salary cap manager to ensure we have fully researched every new player signing for the club.
- Ensure the youth setup and youth scouting setup delivers the best players coming through the Academy/Scholarship and once they reach first team level keep them at the club.
- Attract and keep top players from both the UK market and overseas.
- Engage with the supporters and people of Wakefield to make the club the most fan oriented professional sports club in the game. A new Wakefield Trinity App is being developed and will be ready for the start of the new season.
- Enhance our work with local businesses to attract new sponsors and hopefully negotiate discounts for Trinity supporters (can’t promise this one!).
- Raise the number of supporters to fill the stadium.
- Finance/introduce monthly season ticket options to make season ticket payments easier for the supporters.
- Fully utilise the new East Stand and facilities and put on events for everyone to enjoy.
- Make the ground facilities better to improve the matchday experience.
- Ensure our youth, women’s, PDRL, LDRL and Wheelchair teams get the support required to succeed.
- Work with the Foundation to help maintain and where possible improve our community work.
Firms urged to capitalise on new electronic trade documents law
The British Chambers of Commerce says firms wanting to boost their exports and reduce costs should quickly embrace a new era of digital trade.
It made the call as the Government’s flagship Electronic Trade Documents Act finally came into force.
William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the BCC, said: “Campaigners, including the BCC, have worked for years to have the Electronic Trade Documents Act passed, and its introduction is a huge milestone.
“This new era is starting in the UK, but we can also act as a beacon, leading towards further digitalisation of trade across the world. We now need to see other governments accelerating their work to digitalise border processes.
“In our Trade Manifesto, we called on the UK Government to work with business to ensure 60% of the UK’s exports are carried out digitally by the end of the decade.
“The whole Chamber Network has already risen to this challenge and has switched to using Digital Certificates of Origin for the UK.
“As more countries make the transition, we will be able to increasingly digitize our trade – making it much less bureaucratic, and leading to big savings in both costs and time.”
The Electronic Trade Documents Act gives legal status to electronic Bills of Exchange and Bills of Lading and other commercial documents.
The new legislation gained Royal Assent on July 20 this year and has just into force. It provides opportunities to digitalise international trade documents and reap efficiency benefits. It also covers trade documents such as promissory notes, warehouse receipts, marine insurance policies, and cargo insurance certificates.
Just days remain before single-use plastics ban, firms are warned
Businesses in England are being reminded by Trading Standards officials that they have until October 1st to get rid of certain single-use plastic items – or run the risk of being fined.
Businesses including takeaways, sandwich shops, and retailers will no longer be able to use a range of items including all single-use plastic cutlery, trays, plates, bowls, and balloon sticks, as well as certain types of polystyrene cups and food containers used to supply ready-to eat food.
The ban on these items will include online and over-the-counter sales and supply, items from new and existing stock, all types of single-use plastic, including biodegradable, compostable and recycled, and items wholly or partly made from plastic, including coating or lining.
It is estimated that England uses 2.7 billion items of single-use cutlery each year, and 721 million single-use plates. Only 10 per cent of these items are recycled.
Plastic pollution takes hundreds of years to break down and inflicts serious damage to our oceans, rivers and land. It is also a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, from the production and manufacture of the plastic itself to the way it is disposed.
It is expected that banning these items will have a significant impact in reducing plastic waste and littering in England.
New strategy for Leeds economy
Nine ‘big ideas’ to deliver inclusive growth, focusing on people, place, and productivity, have been agreed by senior councillors as part of the next phase of the Leeds Inclusive Growth Strategy.
The new strategy provides a framework to 2030 to tackle challenges facing Leeds and meet the council’s Best City Ambitions, including tackling poverty and inequality, poor health and meeting zero carbon commitments. This builds on the previous successful strategy that helped drive forward inclusive growth in Leeds between 2018 and 2023.
People are the cornerstone of any city’s economy, and a key theme of the strategy outlines the ambition to tackle issues surrounding poverty and inequality, a rapidly changing labour market and ensuring that education and training meets local needs reflecting the approach set out in the Leeds Future Talent Plan, which was launched last year.
Ensuring that places put people first and work for all is the second theme of the strategy. The strategy outlines how the council will invest in places and transport to deliver a sustainable economy and greener future. This will help to connect and strengthen communities by ensuring that city and local centres thrive, and ensuring jobs and homes are delivered in the right place.
This is reflected in the work surrounding the South Leeds Gateway, connecting hospital, health and life science assets at St James University Hospital and Leeds General Infirmary through the city centre to Morley, with a linked pipeline of projects worth over £2billion and commitments for over 15,000 new homes.
The final theme focuses on unlocking productivity, enabling business to innovate and grow in the face of change. Delivering the council’s vision for innovation is crucial to ensuring a greener more inclusive future, and the strategy outlines how this will be achieved by backing diverse innovators and entrepreneurs with the potential to create high growth businesses.
The council will continue to invest in the city’s innovation infrastructure including the Innovation Arc, in order to create a centre of global significance. Unlocking over one million Square feet of innovation space, the arc will draw together entrepreneurs, start-ups and businesses to share ideas and increase access to capital, to accelerate growth.
Businesses will continue to be supported to become more productive and thrive in the face of change, with the strategy also outlining how the council will promote Leeds as a global destination for people to visit, live, work and invest.
Leeds has a thriving digital community, and the strategy outlines how this will be built on, by positioning Leeds as digital city and facilitating growth in the sector, by developing the required infrastructure and talent.
With the power of collaboration as a key principle, the new strategy also builds on the success of the Leeds Anchors Network made up of the city’s largest employers by extending the idea to include Business Anchors.
The Business Anchors network will bring together large business operating in Leeds committed to working together to create growth in our economy that works for everyone.
Despite the challenges of the previous five years, Leeds has already seen success in driving forward inclusive growth. With the previous strategy outlining the council’s ambitions to become the destination of choice for major UK institutions and global companies, which saw the city attracting the new UK Infrastructure Bank, Channel 4, Burberry, and Cognizant all now calling Leeds home.
The strategy is underpinned by the council’s commitment to green the economy and support businesses and the city to be more resilient and continue to thrive, as the city and council works towards zero carbon.
Speaking ahead of the strategy’s launch, Councillor James Lewis, Leader of Leeds City Council, said: “Developing an economy that works for all is crucial to ensuring we can meet the challenges facing Leeds, from tackling poverty and inequality, to meeting the climate emergency.
“Success will require a collective effort from the public, private and third sectors in Leeds working together. I firmly believe in the power of collaboration as shown by our response to the Covid-19 and the cost-of-living crises, which highlights the impact of our ‘Team Leeds’ approach.
“The Leeds Inclusive Growth Strategy and its nine ‘big ideas’ will reduce inequality in our city and help to ensure Leeds is a compassionate city with a strong economy that provides opportunities for all, while also playing our part in meeting the climate emergency.”
Large Leeds firms offered support to develop ‘inclusive growth’
Leeds City Council has launched a new network to support large businesses across Leeds to drive forward positive social outcomes and contribute to the delivery of inclusive growth across the city.
Building on the success of the Leeds Anchor Network, the council is launching Leeds Business Anchors. An initiative to bring together large businesses operating in Leeds, that are committed to working together to create growth in the Leeds economy that works for everyone.
Membership of the network is underpinned by a commitment to complete the Business Anchors Progression Framework – a tool to help businesses shape their contribution to inclusive growth across four key areas: employment, procurement, environment and assets, and corporate and community behaviours.
Developed in partnership with large businesses in Leeds the framework has been adapted from the approach used with public sector anchors and enables firms to take an ‘anchor’ perspective on their relationship with Leeds, providing them with an effective tool to measure their impact on driving forward inclusive growth.
‘Anchor’ working refers to the ways in which organisations can positively contribute to the place where they operate, strengthening the local economy, and contributing to employment, skills and health and wellbeing for local people.
Social impact is increasingly important for businesses of all sizes and the framework will provide an innovative way for business to evidence their local impact and provide a vehicle for reflection on their progress and ambitions.
Having tested the framework businesses are now coming together to form a network to identify ways they can work together to maximise their impact for Leeds.
Leeds Building Society, a key employer in the city with a significant history of delivering positive social outcomes and a founding member of the network, used the framework to sense check their responsible business strategy and ensure the progress aligned with the city’s needs and ambitions.
Wendy Carter, Responsible Business Lead at Leeds Building Society, said: “Being part of a network of organisations committed to responsible business will allow us to work together to have greater social impact in the city.”
Irwin Mitchell to acquire Silk Family Law
Irwin Mitchell is significantly expanding its family law practice in the North East of England with the acquisition of Silk Family Law.
The deal, subject to contract and SRA (Solicitors Regulation Authority) approval, will add to Irwin Mitchell’s national family law practice which is already one of the largest teams in the country and regularly brings complex financial separation cases to the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
The deal to acquire Silk Family Law follows the news of Irwin Mitchell’s investment in Scotland-based law firm Wright, Johnston and Mackenzie earlier this month. Irwin Mitchell has also recently appointed former BBC news presenter Joanna Gosling as a mediator in the family law team.
Silk Family Law is ranked number one in the Legal 500 in the North East and operates out of Newcastle, Leeds and Richmond, North Yorkshire. It represents clients in all aspects of matrimonial and family law cases, including financial and children matters. Its specialist lawyers have expertise in dealing with complex financial issues, including business assets, farming businesses, trusts, and pensions, as well as cases with an international dimension.
Ros Bever, director of legal services, family, said: “This strategic investment will expand our expertise and reach in the North East of England, and I’m excited about our combined future. Our family law specialists work on ground-breaking cases and achieve excellent results for our clients, and we’re delighted to be welcoming the Silk Family Law team to Irwin Mitchell.”
Ian Kennerley, managing partner at Silk Family Law, said: “We’re delighted to be joining Irwin Mitchell and remain committed to providing the same specialist high quality family law advice and representation for all our clients. We share the same values for client service and excellence and look forward to benefiting from the additional resources and support which will be available to our clients on a national and international basis.”
In the past financial year Irwin Mitchell has also agreed deals to acquire asset management firms TWP Wealth and Andrews Gwynne.
Silk Family Law were advised by Armstrong Watson LLP and Harrison Clark Rickerbys Limited. Irwin Mitchell were advised by their in-house corporate partner Dan Bastide and Menzies LLP.
Woodland Group acquire Dewsbury warehouse
Woodland Group has acquired a 35,799 sq ft warehousing and distribution facility in Dewsbury.
The warehouse will add to Woodland’s existing warehouse portfolio in Yorkshire of 335,458 sq ft across its two flagship facilities in Doncaster.
This latest acquisition is a strategic move to support Woodland’s growing UK road fleet and services out of the North of England, which client demand has seen expand to include dedicated customs consultancy, extensive warehousing, sustainable supply chain and a significant surge in European distribution solutions.
Having first set up base in Yorkshire 18 years ago as a foundation to build and grow its road solutions and UK fleet from, Woodland Group started leasing the Dewsbury facility five years ago. Following continued investment into its development and optimisation, it is now a modern space out of which Woodland Group delivers full 360 supply chain management solutions.
Woodland Group’s director of Northern England, Peter Wilkinson, said: “We’re very pleased to be able to acquire our Dewsbury facility to further support our commitment to investing into the local community and opportunity for growth. Our strategic development delivers sustainable supply chain solutions for local businesses to expand, and brings international businesses into the area as a central hub to distribute across the globe.”
Petrol station sold to experienced retailers after 55 years of family ownership
Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has sold Crakehall Filling Station near Bedale, North Yorkshire, which has been operated by the Jobling family for 55 years.
Crakehall Filling Station is situated on a busy road leading from Bedale to the Yorkshire Dales. The site has been owned by Terry and Shirley Jobling for 37 years and came to market as the couple made the decision to retire.
They comment on the sale: “Everything we asked of Andy and Christie & Co was done, and then some. Andy’s specialism in the sector gave us confidence the transaction would be in safe hands, and he ensured we got the deal and price we wanted.”
The business has been purchased by experienced retailers, Khizer and Nighat Khan, who own a portfolio of petrol filling stations in the area. They say: “We are delighted to have been able to purchase Crakehall Filling Station, which will be a great addition to our portfolio.
“We believe the site has lots of potential and we will be looking to maximise that over the coming months. We have already made arrangements to bring in a convenience store/off licence with leading brands, to provide a range of products and services at affordable prices to the local community and commuters.
“We would like to thank Terry and Shirley for all their help over the last couple of months. They are an amazing couple, who we now consider as friends. As always, we would also like to thank Andrew from Christie & Co for his professionalism throughout this process.”
Andrew Birnie, Retail Director at Christie & Co who handled the sale, says: “Members of the Jobling family had originally built this forecourt 55 years ago, and so for Terry and Shirley, deciding to sell and retire was a big moment in their life.
“Several years ago, they closed the convenience shop and turned the petrol station into an automated business which allowed them to semi-retire. The new owners plan to redevelop and reopen the shop, which presents great scope to modernise and introduce more services.
“Khizer Khan is already in the industry and therefore is experienced in what works well and what doesn’t. In fact, he purchased another petrol station through us some years ago and has been looking for the right opportunity to expand further since then.
“We wish Terry and Shirley a long and happy retirement, and best of luck to Khizer and Nighat with their expansion plans.”
Sheffield steelmakers could soon switch to cleaner fuel
Sheffield’s world-renowned steelmakers could soon be switching to cleaner fuel, thanks to a pioneering new project.
Researchers from the University of Sheffield are working with partners from across the South Yorkshire region on the initiative, which could cut carbon emissions from Sheffield’s steel industry by 40 per cent.
Engineers from the University’s Energy Institute and Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) are working with energy company E.ON and Chesterfield Special Cylinders to explore ways of generating green hydrogen at Blackburn Meadows – a biomass-fuelled combined heat and power plant in Sheffield – that could then be used as a cleaner fuel source for the city’s steelmakers.
During the early stages of the project, the researchers found there is a strong desire from steelmakers and other industries to find a cleaner alternative to natural gas in industrial processes.
Switching steelmaking to being fuelled by hydrogen could be commercially viable, the project found, and sustainable over the longer term. It could maintain the performance and product quality for manufacturers with carbon emissions 41.8 per cent lower than if using natural gas. That means the three manufacturers taking part in the initial trials – Sheffield Forgemasters, Forged Solutions and Chesterfield Special Cylinders – could save around 3,500 tonnes of CO2 each year.
The project has now been awarded £1 million of funding from the UK government to explore the commercial and engineering needs of generating, transporting and using hydrogen, as well as developing the commercial offer to industrial customers. If that is successful, the next stage will be a technical pilot project at the Blackburn Meadows site, with potential for future expansion if the project is taken forward to a full commercial demonstration.
The project to explore the potential of a more planet-friendly fuel for steelmakers is funded by the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero and its Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP) and is led by E.ON alongside Chesterfield Special Cylinders, Glass Futures, the University of Sheffield Energy Institute and Sheffield Forgemasters.
Professor Mohamed Pourkashanian, Head of the University of Sheffield Energy Institute, said: “We are thrilled that this project has received funding from the UK government to progress to a second stage. The work we’re doing for this at the University of Sheffield Energy Institute, including computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) modelling and in-depth hydrogen research, will help bring us a step closer to vital industrial decarbonisation and beyond.
“It is increasingly important to get the technological solutions we need to reduce emissions correct first time, so carrying out these detailed and industry-supported projects at the University of Sheffield Energy Institute means we can test, scale and ultimately implement these alternative solutions as efficiently as possible.”
Chris Lovatt, Chief Operating Officer for UK Solutions at E.ON, said: “Hydrogen will play a significant role in our energy future, mainly powering energy-intensive industries and long-distance transport. It sits alongside the drive for heat pumps meeting domestic heating needs and a greater role for district energy schemes in urban areas.
“The first stages of our trial show the technology works and can support the industry’s needs for alternative fuels, as well as Sheffield’s wider sustainability ambitions. We know there are challenges to overcome before this becomes a viable solution for industry but the success so far has been rewarded by further funding from government to explore the potential of green hydrogen as a solution for Sheffield’s world-renowned steelmakers.”
Chris Walters, Chief Executive for Chesterfield Special Cylinder’s parent company Pressure Technologies, said: “Proudly based in South Yorkshire, Chesterfield Special Cylinders has designed and manufactured safety-critical hydrogen storage solutions for over 80 years. We are delighted to be a key partner in this project, exploring potential options to decarbonise forging processes at our Sheffield facility and showcasing our solutions for the safe and cost-effective storage and transportation of hydrogen.”
Rob Ireson, Innovation and Partnerships Manager at Glass Futures, added: “We are excited to begin the next phase of this project to evaluate the performance of hydrogen and hydrogen-natural gas blends in steel manufacturing furnaces. Using data carried out in our Combustion Test Bed furnace in the first phase of research, which also formed the basis of the modelling carried out by the University of Sheffield, we can begin to apply the method for simulation and testing of hydrogen firing to furnaces at an industrial scale, to verify hydrogen’s effectiveness.”
Commenting on the project, Clive Betts, MP for Sheffield South East, said: “I very much welcome this announcement. Measures that can reduce carbon emissions from steel production in Sheffield are very welcome. I have previously visited the Blackburn Meadows site and I look forward to seeing how the pilot progresses.”
Gill Furniss, MP for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, added: “I congratulate E.ON’s Blackburn Meadows biomass project on securing new funding for the second phase of the trial. I look forward to seeing the project develop innovative ways to decarbonise our important steel sector.”
Green hydrogen is produced by splitting water into both hydrogen and oxygen through a process called electrolysis. Using electricity from renewable sources means it is seen as the cleanest option for industrial uses. The UK government has ambitions to reach 10GW of low carbon hydrogen generation by 2030.
Environmental pressures, the war in Ukraine and the spike in global gas prices have all driven interest in the benefits of switching to green hydrogen which has a strong role to play in decarbonising heavy, polluting industries.
In the case of Blackburn Meadows, electricity is created from waste wood that would otherwise have gone to landfill. Blackburn Meadows already captures the heat from the power generation process to feed a district heating network in the Lower Don Valley and houses a 10MW battery to support the local grid at times of high power demand.
Lincs teenager shortlisted in Air Ambulances UK Awards of Excellence
A teenager who helped save her mum after a horse-riding accident has made the shortlist in the Air Ambulances UK Awards of Excellence 2023.
Molly Harris, from Ancaster, was nominated by Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance in the ‘Young Person of the Year’ category, in recognition of her bravery as well as showing unwavering determination in her fundraising efforts, despite having her riding boots, saddle and tack stolen.
These annual awards celebrate and recognise the specialist lifesaving skills and commitment of those working tirelessly within and in support of the air ambulance community across the UK.
Molly, 13, was cleaning the crew yard when her mum’s horse Rodney came galloping towards her riderless. In that moment, as the 19-hand horse came towards her at speed, her first thought was to run.
Molly has high functioning autism and experiences sensory overload from too much noise or stressful situations. But as she realised her mum may be in danger she had to overcome her instincts to shut down.
That day, Molly’s mum Emma had taken advantage of the brisk wintery weather and gone for a ride. They tacked up and left the yard in high spirits. Their route took them down a quiet track alongside a field where a lone tractor driver was working. That was the last thing Emma remembers. Her next memory was waking up in hospital a few days later.
Emma’s horse Rodney had been spooked by the tractor and jumped into the air. Emma was thrown to the muddy ground, landing on her neck.
She suffered a brain injury and severe swelling around her spinal cord, causing the loss of feeling from the waist down. But the outcome could have been even more traumatic for her if it was not for the actions of her daughter Molly.
After making sure Rodney was secure, Molly ran around the nearby fields shouting for her mum, and then meticulously began to slowly search further away. The first time she went down the track she missed her mum but the second time she found her on the ground motionless.
This would be hard enough for any young person to deal with, add in the fact that Molly suffers from autism, and it shows how brave her actions were.
The Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance crew were in the air within eight minutes of the 999 call being made. Although the situation was confusing for Molly, she knew that she needed to stay with her mum.
Dr Adam Chesters and Paramedic Jenny Mealey were soon by Emma’s side, delivering emergency pain relief and assessing the damage to her spine, before moving her onto a stretcher ready for the flight to hospital. The flight was delayed as Emma suffered a seizure prior to take-off, and in the air she suffered similar seizures.
Molly wanted to do something to thank the crew who worked in those muddy and cold conditions, looking after her mum.
She said: “They were amazing and reassuring in every way. They saved my mum’s life, and they keep other families together too.”
In May 2023, she decided to take up Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance’s 6k a Day in May challenge event with her beloved horse, Princess. Disaster struck as halfway through the month thieves broke into the tack room and stole her bridle, saddle and boots. But in the face of adversity, Molly simply completed some of the days riding bareback to ensure she did not fail. At the end of the month, she had completed well over 6k a Day in May, raising £180.
Molly is so determined to continue supporting LNAA that she has now decided to take up Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance’s ‘Mission Possible’ challenge and aims to complete 100k in September.
Emma said: “I cannot express just how proud me and her dad are of our daughter. That day would have been terrifying for any child let alone Molly. From organising Rodney’s safety, calling her dad, racing to find me, and staying with me. I have no recollection of this, so when I was told I choked up, knowing the extent that Molly went to and under so much pressure.”
More than 18 months later, Emma is still in recovery. Emma had suffered from epilepsy before the incident and the head injury has exacerbated the condition.
Simmy Akhtar, CEO of Air Ambulances UK, said: “Congratulations to all those who have been chosen as finalists for the Air Ambulances UK Awards of Excellence 2023. All nominees are extremely talented, and our judging panel had the unenviable task of finalising the shortlist for all categories.”
The winners will be announced on the 30th November, at a ceremony in Reading.
Shipley building to be transformed with £3m health and well-being investment
A new project with a focus on Health, Well-being and Community has been given the go-ahead in Shipley, with the signing of a £3m funding agreement.
The investment from the Shipley Towns Fund will transform The Old School building on Farfield Road, currently owned by mental health charity, The Cellar Trust, with plans for a full refurbishment. These include landscaping in the grounds to create a well-being garden which will be accessible to the public.
The new facility will continue to be run by well-established founding member charity, The Cellar Trust alongside strategic charity partner HALE, also based in Shipley. Its mission will be to provide health and well-being services by working with a range of services from the voluntary sector, public sector and social enterprise in one inclusive, welcoming and accessible place.
The Cellar Trust CEO Kim Shutler said: “We have an established track record of successfully delivering specialist mental health support. We already work in partnership with many organisations across the district.
“We’re excited for this new opportunity to create even more partnerships and support smaller grass roots organisations, who may not easily have access to such facilities, all with the aim of supporting more people across Shipley especially those who are vulnerable and lonely.
“We’ll be making good use of the improved facilities with the access to green space and the opportunity for classes and activities. This is a fantastic boost for the people of Shipley.”
Services will be available for the whole community and will particularly focus on supporting vulnerable people. There will be large rooms for groups and events, smaller activity rooms, consulting rooms for clinical and non-clinical interventions as well as a multi-faith and contemplation space.
Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, said: “The new community development will deliver improved access to mental and physical health services and will support the well-being of our community. It will be an invaluable facility offering increased classes, activities and events as well as meeting spaces.”
Chairman of Shipley Towns Fund Adam Clerkin added: “We are pleased to support this incredible project, which will change people’s lives. It will provide a wide range of integrated support services, delivered by a skilled workforce and a team of volunteers who are trained in engaging, assessing, motivating and giving people the tools to improve their health and well-being.”
Office and co-working space has been set aside for health and well-being providers and social enterprises. The atrium entrance space and welcome area will include an informal seating area and open-access café as well as IT facilities. The space will be accessible to all, and will provide a range of services for all ages.
Finnish firm’s paper mill plan will bring more than 400 new jobs to Goole
Finnish firm Metsä Tissue has chosen Goole as the site in which it’ll build the UK’s largest state-of-the-art tissue paper mill, bringing hundreds of new jobs to the area.
This investment of several hundred millions of pounds will significantly reduce the quantity of tissue products that are currently imported into the UK and Ireland each year. The new mill will create at least 400 jobs at the facility, as well as thousands more across the supply chain and the local economy.
Esa Kaikkonen, CEO of Metsä Tissue, said: “Goole is the perfect location for this proposed investment. The Humber region provides a crucial gateway to the whole of the United Kingdom, and the region’s ambitions to bring cutting-edge green technology and jobs to the UK matches our ambitions in clean, sustainable manufacturing.”
Up to 45% of tissue products using in the UK and Ireland are currently imported. Metsä Tissue aims to replace almost half of the imported products with local British production, using fresh fibre pulp as the main raw material from sustainably-managed forests in the Nordics. Reducing the reliance on imports will have a positive impact on the UK’s productivity, carbon footprint and self-sufficiency for essential tissue products.
The Goole facility will use sustainable production technologies to deliver an efficient and modern facility with world class environmental performance. Metsä Tissue’s activity is rooted in sustainability, with a target for all products to be manufactured from fully fossil-fuel-free raw materials by 2030 as the company strives to achieve a net zero society.
Subject to planning and environmental permits and a final investment decision, the site will occupy an area of around 200 acres and will have the capacity to produce 240,000 tons of tissue paper, built in several phases over the next decade, serving both the professional and consumer markets – a level of production unrivalled in the UK. The planned facility would be the first major investment in the proposed Goole tax site within the Humber Freeport, which aims to accelerate inward investment in the Humber region.
Esa Kaikkonen added: “This exciting investment would bring the UK and Finland together through combining the sustainable raw material of fresh wood fibres grown in the Nordics with world-class local production of quality tissues in the UK. We are thrilled about how these plans can contribute to more sustainable local tissue production in the UK, offering alternatives to the currently imported tissue products. The project will significantly enhance Metsä Tissue’s presence in this country and underscores the importance of the UK market to our business in the years ahead.”
Invitation to public event
As part of Metsä Tissue’s plans to get to know the community in which it plans to invest, Esa Kaikkonen will host open-for-all public events on Thursday 2 November at 3 pm and 6 pm in the RaisE Building, Tom Pudding Way, Goole DN14 6BS. The event will be available to view on Metsä Tissue’s website at https://www.metsagroup.com/metsatissue/projects/metsa-tissue-mill-in-the-uk/
The area’s MP Andrew Percy said: “Fantastic news today for the Goole area. I met Metsa a few months ago to discuss what we can do to ensure local people are the first in line for these roles. The site chosen is alongside the motorway on Rawcliffe Road, just up from Glews and a full planning application will be needed. I’ve also spoken with Metsa about ensuring there is appropriate screening, tree planting and environmental enhancements which they support.
“None of this happens by accident and a big draw for Metsa to our area is the fact that the site is a ‘Freeport’ site bringing investment incentives.”
New All-Party group of MPs brings next meeting to Hull instead of Westminster
A new All Party Parliamentary Group on modernising employment is to back up its commitment to promote the regions of the UK by taking its next meeting out of Westminster and bringing it to Hull.
The APPG team hope the move will encourage business leaders across the country to join its discussions around providing meaningful support for the levelling up agenda by taking more jobs into the regions.
Chaired by Hull West and Hessle MP Emma Hardy, pictured, the APPG is inviting businesses to participate in the next meeting, which will take place at C4DI in Hull from 2pm until 4pm on Monday 2 October.
Speakers will feature Paul Devoy, CEO of Investors in People, Professor Stephen Hardy, Dean of Faculty of Business, Law & Politics at the University of Hull, and Keith Rosser, Chair of the Better Hiring Institute.
Ms Hardy said: “This APPG has been inspired by a desire to make UK hiring the fastest globally by harnessing technology to enable more people to work remotely in the regions instead of having to relocate to London.
“We’re practising what we preach by taking our next meeting out of the capital. We’re going to Hull because my work there has identified a groundswell of support for showcasing regional cities as destinations for employers.
“In particular, the Work Hull Work Happy initiative which we launched in 2022 found that digital developments in Hull have made the city the co-working working capital of the UK.
“Hull-based businesses showed us how they are using the city’s unrivalled connectivity to employ local people working on national projects, with pay and conditions to match.
“By meeting in Hull, the APPG wants to bring together more businesses from Hull and the wider Yorkshire and Humber area to explore the opportunities which exist now and to consider how we build on those.
“It is vital that we do this in partnership with businesses because we can’t talk about modernising employment without finding out what employers want.”
Firms urged to apply for share in £25m from Government for ‘natural’ flood defence schemes
Businesses, farmers, catchment partnerships, flood risk management authorities, and community groups are being encouraged to apply for a share of £25 million the Government wants to invest in projects using nature to protect communities from flooding.
Environment Minister Rebecca Pow announced today that the Government and the Environment Agency will support nationwide natural flood management schemes such as planting trees and creating wetlands to slow and store water to reduce the risk of flooding. These schemes are also proven to improve air and water quality, provide habitats for wildlife and create green spaces for communities.
This new funding builds on the £15m natural flood management pilot programme which ran until 2021. Across the 60 pilot projects supported by this programme, the equivalent of 1.6 million cubic metres of water storage was created and 15,000 homes were better protected from flooding, while 4,000 hectares of habitat and 610 kilometres of river were improved and 100 hectares of woodland were planted.
Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said: “Nature is an essential weapon in our armoury against flooding. Enhancing the natural landscape to slow rivers and hold flood water works hand-in-hand with the bricks and mortar protection we are building with our £5.2 billion flood programme.
“That is why we are driving investment to harness the power of nature. This approach not only reduces flood risk and helps tackle climate change, it can also benefit water quality, restore habitats and boost biodiversity. Natural flood management is a win-win-win.
Environment Agency chair Alan Lovell said: “In the face of a changing climate, and with the frequency and severity of flooding only likely to get worse, we need to act now. “The pioneers who already work with nature-based solutions to achieve greater flood resilience give me hope. I am delighted this new Natural Flood Management Programme will be open to environmental groups, catchment partnerships, farmers, landowners, and local authorities to speed up more investment in natural flood management.“Natural flood management gives us so many wider benefits and I look forward to seeing projects coming forward that also help to create habitats for wildlife, support better river quality, and sequester carbon.”
Projects supported by the £15m pilot include the Dorking Natural Flood Management Scheme, instigated after Pipp Brook in the Surrey Hills flooded due to its steep slopes. The partners created ‘wet woodland’ that benefits biodiversity and 30 ‘leaky barriers’ that allow water to spill into the natural floodplain, stopping too much water flooding into Dorking. Successful projects will cover a large enough area to provide demonstrable flood risk benefits. The Environment Agency will manage the programme. Expressions of interest in applying for funding opened today, and will close on 10 November 2023. Projects will be delivered during 2024-27. Further information on guidance on submitting expressions of interest and for the programme prospectus are at these links.Harrogate search marketing agency sets up new venture in America
Harrogate-based search marketing agency Zelst has established a new US venture following a number of client wins from US agencies looking to collaborate with UK specialists.
The new US business, based in Dover, Delaware, will aim to bring US work to the UK team more seamlessly, providing white-labelled digital services to often-stretched US agency and client teams.
The 17-strong firm, launched in 2006 by Peter and Sarah Van Zelst, has worked with US clients for over a decade, and embarked on a project to investigate US client opportunities last year.
Peter Van Zelst said: “The US economy is a little hotter than ours at present, and it’s a challenge to find highly-experienced search and PPC professionals in some areas of the States. We’ve seen a demand for our services, and the different approaches we bring to projects. Establishing a business in the US was the natural next step.
“As one of the north’s longest-established and most experienced search marketing agencies, we’re adept at workingcollaboratively alongside clients and agencies alike, and the East Coast of the US, in particular, is fairly straightforward to service, with its connections and smaller time difference with the UK.
“We’re working closely with the Department for Business and Trade in the US, as well as a variety of bodies and contacts we’ve made since researching the idea of growing our exports to the US, and expect the additional traction to bring a handful of new jobs as we build out the team to support the North American market.
He added: “Although, like every company, we’ve seen a lot of challenges in the last few years, in many ways, the seismic shifts driven by the pandemic and Brexit have opened people’s minds about how to grow their businesses.
“We’ve seen that the US has a challenge to find passionate and highly skilled teams of digital talent, and we’re offering them that additional bandwidth immediately, with lower overheads than they face in the vast majority of US locations.”
Zelst provides highly targeted SEO, content, paid search and biddable media management and content campaigns for businesses across the UK and also exports its services to a growing client base in the US.
Bank of England brings an end to run of interest rate hikes
Following a run of 14 increases, the Bank of England has chosen not to hike interest rates today (21 September).
It sees the current base rate remain at 5.25%, and comes after a surprise slowdown in inflation figures. This is thought to have eased pressure for another rise in rates.
The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted by a majority of 5–4 to maintain the Bank Rate.
Anna Leach, CBI deputy chief economist, said: “The Bank of England said they’d be data-driven: a sharper-than-expected fall in services inflation driving a small fall in the headline inflation rate has proved enough for the Monetary Policy Committee to hit pause on rate rises after 14 consecutive increases. Despite the pause and a slowing of inflation, many businesses and households will be still feeling the impact of tighter credit and higher prices.
“The coming months will be tricky for the Bank. They’ll be vigilant regarding developments in wages and inflation expectations, given private sector wage growth is still topping 8%. Meanwhile, the outlook for energy prices has shifted, with oil prices now pushing up and European gas prices once again at the mercy of the winter weather outlook. This could slow the pace of decline in the headline inflation rate and risks underpinning still-high core inflation. But the economy is showing signs of turning too: the unemployment rate has risen, vacancies are down and activity is slowing.
“The MPC’s next meeting date in November coincides with the publication of the Bank’s updated forecast and their full assessment of economic conditions. And before that we’ll see the full set of revisions to GDP from the ONS, as well as more data on economic conditions, before heading into the Autumn Statement later in the month. With business investment crucial to delivering growth, this presents an ideal opportunity for the Chancellor to shore up business confidence.”
