Business blooming for arboriculture and ground management company

Tess Egginton
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Business blooming for arboriculture and ground management company

A former army reservist who was posted to Africa with the renowned Gurkhas before setting up his arboriculture and ground management company is celebrating 10 years in business with a record start to the year.

Rotherham entrepreneur Luke Hamill, who founded Sky High Tree & Ground Maintenance Services LTD in 2014, has expanded the business year on year and now leads a team of 14 from their Rotherham HQ.

Servicing both the commercial and residential construction industries throughout the north of England, Sky High Tree & Ground Maintenance Services also delivers emergency and project-based services for a number of Local Authorities.

Whilst recent weather events have ensured that side of the business has been brisk, a string of wins with major housebuilders has seen 2024 start at a record pace, as Luke explains: “I think if you had told me 10 years ago that I’d be leading a team of 14 with work right across the north of England I might have taken it with a pinch of salt but it goes to show what a focus on quality, teamwork and honest graft can do.

“My forces background has instilled that in me but the entrepreneurial side is something I’ve developed day by day and I am still working hard at because this business has huge potential.”

Sky High Tree & Ground Maintenance Services has invested over £4 million in recent years on equipment and staff training, purchasing their first 14-tonne Arb Digger (reducing costs typically passed to clients) in 2022.

That was soon joined by a RoboEvo tracked robotic flail, helping to remove operatives from working on unsafe terrain whilst being more cost-effective.

“We are committed to continuing to invest in the future to provide the best service possible for our clients,” explains Luke.

“Our latest piece of kit is the Mercedes Unimog which will mean we have the ultimate set of tools for our arb and ground maintenance teams and ensure we are working at maximum efficiency.

“However, despite our strong start to the year we will not lose sight of our role as custodians of the planet and do our best to ensure that we balance what we remove and clear.

“Last year, we contributed to our local area by planting and installing over 100 trees, as well as completing a long overdue biodiversity project for a nearby school. We are always on the lookout for similar projects we can get involved in, so do get in touch if we can assist.”

Work to begin on Huddersfield affordable homes scheme

Tess Egginton
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Work to begin on Huddersfield affordable homes scheme

Work is about to start on a new affordable housing development in Newsome, Huddersfield. 

30 two and three-bedroomed properties will be delivered by BME housing association Unity Homes and Enterprise in partnership with Kirklees Council, Homes England and West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

The land was previously occupied by Stile Common Infant and Nursery School before its demolition in 2011.

Enabling works on the Plane Street site will commence in the coming days.

Unity was formed in 1987 with the objective of building a strong, BME-led, community housing association to address the needs of black and minority ethnic communities in Leeds.

It now owns and manages 1,386 properties for tenants from all communities and ethnic backgrounds in West Yorkshire, including two affordable housing schemes in Huddersfield and one in Cleckheaton.

Cedric Boston, Unity Homes and Enterprise Chief Executive, said: “We are excited to be expanding our presence in Kirklees with works getting underway on the Plane Street development.

“The country continues to endure a national housing crisis which will only be eased with the construction of many more affordable homes.

“Unity is committed to playing our part to build high-quality properties for local communities that need them.

“We welcome the strong support of Kirklees Council, Homes England and West Yorkshire Combined Authority in delivering this scheme.”

Cllr Graham Turner, Cabinet member for Finance and Regeneration at Kirklees Council, said: “It is fantastic that the council has used its land to create the opportunity for 30 affordable homes to be built on a brownfield site in a sustainable location.

“I would like to thank council officers and partners at Unity Housing, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Homes England in getting this project off the ground, using derelict land to help address our shortage of affordable homes to ensure that a high-quality scheme can be built.

“I am pleased to see that 100 per cent of the housing on this site will be allocated for affordable homes to meet current and future needs.”

MKM acquires Mansfield HVAC company for move into new sector

Stuart Pearcey
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MKM acquires Mansfield HVAC company for move into new sector
Hull-based MKM has acquired Mansfield company Oceanair in a move designed to strengthen its offering by moving into the HVAC sector. Kate Tinsley, CEO of MKM since 2020, said: “This is an interesting acquisition for MKM and enables us to expand into further emerging marketplaces; Oceanair is a great company with very talented people. I’m really excited about our growth plans.” Oceanair owner Tony Evanson will remain involved in the business for the foreseeable future providing support during the transition. He said: “I’m incredibly proud to see the business grow over the years and have developed some fantastic relationships with staff, customers, and suppliers.  I have thought long and hard about selling the business and was adamant it needed to go to the right home. I’m very pleased to be around the business to support the MKM team and look forward to seeing Oceanair grow under its new ownership”. Rob Barnes, MKM’s Business Development Director leading the acquisition, added: “This acquisition fits perfectly with MKM’s plans for expansion, allowing us to branch out further into the HVAC industry. Continuing to work closely with the current Oceanair team guarantees a seamless transition, customers and suppliers can expect business as usual.”

TV ‘faces’ front up charities’ new fundraising event

Stuart Pearcey
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TV ‘faces’ front up charities’ new fundraising event

Familiar faces from daytime TV will take to the stage next month to launch a new fundraising event devised by two of the region’s leading charities.

Broadcaster, journalist, and TV presenter Louise Minchin will be the guest speaker at the Ladies Lunch being organised by the Sailors’ Children’s Society and HEY Smile Foundation. She will be joined by Caroline Hawley, a partner in Hawleys Auctioneers of Beverley and known as an antiques expert for her appearances on the BBC TV shows Flog It! and Bargain Hunt. The occasion, which will take place at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Hull on Friday March 15, becomes a stablemate of the Society’s hugely successful, serial sell-out “Sportsman’s Lunch”, but organisers insist it will be very different. Natasha Barley, CEO of the Society, said: “It will be a celebration of women, female empowerment and enjoying an inspirational afternoon with women and men celebrating together. There is more focus now on women in leadership and recognising women’s achievements and this event will help to do that. The event will be open to all, just like the Sportsman’s Lunch which last year attracted the biggest turnout of women so far.” Tessa Wray, Head of Partnerships at HEY Smile Foundation, added: “This is a great event to be involved with, and something different to other events we deliver. We are very big on corporate engagement and coming up with events which are a little different, engaging, and memorable. Our two charities working in partnership, sharing resources, and raising funds together is a great demonstration of collaboration, which is important to us.”

College Principal to quit after six years in the role

Stuart Pearcey
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College Principal to quit after six years in the role

The Principal and Chief Executive of Bishop Burton College is to retire at the end of the academic year after six years in the role.

Bill Meredith has spent a large part of his 42 years in land-based education at Bishop Burton College, during which time the college has consistently performed as ‘Good’ overall and ‘Outstanding’ for its residential provision in Ofsted terms. The College remains true to its agricultural roots but has diversified its curriculum considerably over the years to include subjects such as Engineering, Animal Management, Equine, Sport and Public Services. This approach has fueled the growth that was needed to enable the college to thrive and maintain its independent specialist Land-based college status with a turnover currently topping £30m. Riseholme College near Lincoln merged with the College in 2012 and, soon after, Bill became heavily involved in the development of a totally new campus on the Lincolnshire Showground. The merger has since proved incredibly successful and has secured the future of land-based education in Lincolnshire. As Principal, Bill led on the College’s successful bid to become a founding member of both the Yorkshire & Humber Institute of Technology and the Lincolnshire Institute of Technology. This has led to substantial capital investment in Agri-tech teaching resources including the Centre for Precision Agriculture at Bishop Burton and the Centre for Agri-Food Technology at Riseholme. More recently Bill realised a long-held ambition to establish a new Centre for Pig Industry Training on the college’s 890-acre farm, demonstrating the College’s enduring commitment to the livestock industry. Bill said: “I feel it’s time to step down and make way for someone who can commit themselves to writing the next chapter of the College’s success story. I’m so grateful to have worked with such a dedicated staff team and for the support I’ve had from our College Board and industry partners.”  

Businesses to be urged to tackle in-work sickness

Stuart Pearcey
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Businesses to be urged to tackle in-work sickness
Businesses will be urged to tackle in-work sickness and stop people falling out the workforce, following the appointment of Dame Carol Black as the Government’s new Occupational Health Tsar. She will lead a Taskforce producing a voluntary occupational health framework for businesses, including establishing minimum levels of occupational health needed to stop sickness-related job losses, and help businesses better support those returning to work after a period of ill-health. Dame Carol said: “It is a privilege to Chair the new Taskforce which will review occupational health services available to employees across businesses of all shapes and sizes, and ] create a framework to support better employee health and wellbeing. We will encourage employers to embrace practices that prevent or reduce ill-health related job loss. “We know the impact high sickness absence and presenteeism has on businesses and their productivity, which is why I am so pleased to work with other members of the Taskforce to ensure occupational health support is in place for employees and employers alike.” Just 28% of employers in Britain provide some form of occupational health, with large employers (89%) nearly three times more likely than SMEs(28%) to do so. Minister for Employment Jo Churchill added: “Millions of working days are lost each year through sickness. We are helping businesses tackle this challenge head on so we can help boost productivity and grow our economy. “The work of Dame Carol and her expert Taskforce will be crucial as we drive down absenteeism, which we know is holding back British businesses and really focus on making occupational health support available to all. “Our £2.5bn Back to Work Plan will also help one million people, including those with long-term health conditions and disabilities, find work and reap the benefits it has to offer. Only 45% of workers in Britain have access to some form of occupational health, and with an estimated 1.8 million workers reporting work-related ill health in 2022/23, the government is acting to tackle long-term sickness to help people stay and succeed in work.”

Leeds-based transformer and generator specialist secures multi-million pound investment for management buyout

Tess Egginton
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Leeds-based transformer and generator specialist secures multi-million pound investment for management buyout

Manufacturers of power and distribution transformers, Winder Power, has secured a multi-million pound combined debt and equity funding package from Connection Capital to support a management buyout of the business.

Hundred-year-established Winder Power has seen a significant increase in demand for its power generation and handling equipment and services with the switch to increased renewable energy generation across the UK over the last decade.

The firm employs over 100 people at its 80,000 sq ft manufacturing facility in Pudsey, Leeds, and customers include Thames Water, Euro Tunnel, ASDA and Drax.

The deal, which was originated and led by independent corporate finance boutique CorpFin, based in Harrogate, will see the exit of previous private equity investors Mercia Asset Management, which has disposed of its significant minority shareholding.

Winder Power MD Paul Mathews said: “This funding opens a new chapter for the business at an incredibly exciting time for our industry. The progress we have made to establish the Winder Power brand as the leader in the sector since our original MBO in 2008 has really paid off.

“We are now well positioned to enjoy another decade of growth, with infrastructure investment increasing across most of our sectors and markets in the UK at a time when we have an unrivalled reputation and capacity.”

CorpFin founder Chris Silverwood advised the board of Winder Power on the deal after a strategic review of the business and its leveraging during 2023.

Chris Silverwood of CorpFin said: “The drive and focus of the management team over the last decade or so has brought Winder Power to a market leading position in a buoyant sector with significant barriers to new entrants.

“This investment is a huge vote of confidence in the future of the business by a very savvy investor in the sector, Connection Capital, and sets the business up for a very bright future and continued growth with management taking the bigger stake that they deserve.”

Connection Capital provides £3m-£12m of private equity and debt funding to high-growth businesses in different sectors across the UK and has previously invested in Virgin Wines, Wagamama, and TeamSport Go-Karting.

Bernard Dale, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Connection Capital, said: “We are always searching for UK SMEs with dynamic, experienced management teams to invest in and support. Winder is a great example. Its staff have unique skills and there are really positive market dynamics for future growth.”

Richard Moran and his team at Clarion provided legal advice to the shareholders in the transaction, RSM in Leeds provided tax advice.

‘Moment of opportunity’ highlighted for Sheffield culture sector

Tess Egginton
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‘Moment of opportunity’ highlighted for Sheffield culture sector
Ambitions to develop Sheffield’s cultural offer and ensure the city is creative, prosperous, diverse and full of opportunity for its residents, have moved forward. A review of Sheffield’s culture sector has highlighted areas of growth and opportunity for the city, including strengths in its grass roots offering and independent businesses showcased. Some of the city’s larger, anchor institutions were also recognised for their acclaimed national and international profile. However, the city also faces challenges, with the report outlining that Sheffield must ramp up cultural investment and attract more funding for the sector. More must also be done to champion diversity and inclusion and better reflect the city’s residents and creators. The report also indicates that young people who face barriers accessing culture must be better supported. The audit was commissioned as part of the new Sheffield Culture Strategy 2024, which is being developed to address some of the long-standing obstacles faced by creatives living and working in the city. The strategy is being championed by the Culture Collective and Culture Consortium, and funded by Sheffield City Council, the University of Sheffield and Arts Council England, and aims to tackle obstacles laid out in the review. The sector audit is just the first phase of work being done ahead of the development of the strategy, and will help to shape it, along with the outcomes of consultation with both the public and individuals working in the sector.

Streets Chartered Accountants covers updates to payroll management, HR and compliance, Trade Credit Insurance, and more in new news roundup

Tess Egginton
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Streets Chartered Accountants covers updates to payroll management, HR and compliance, Trade Credit Insurance, and more in new news roundup

Streets also looked at the broader HR matters that may concern employers now and in the year ahead, along with the potential impact of changes to and the introduction of new employment legislation. If you missed it you can catch up now!

Watch Now

Trade Credit Insurance can protect your business 

Does your business have Trade Credit Insurance? Have you reviewed it recently to ensure that your policy is the right fit and level of cover your business needs?

Trade Credit Insurance protects manufacturers, traders and service providers against losses from non-payment of a commercial trade debt. Debts can arise as a result of a customer becoming insolvent or failing to pay within agreed terms.

Read More

Open Road is Colchester office’s new nominated charity As part of Streets’ commitment to the communities in which its teams live and work, the Colchester office of Streets Whittles has an established approach to supporting a nominated local good cause. 

As of March 2024, Streets has selected Open Road to benefit from its support. An established drug and alcohol recovery support charity in Essex and Medway, Open Road provides services to support individuals on their journey to recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.

Have we become too obsessed about the use of technology in our businesses?

Is it time to regain control of our senses about the benefits and use of technology? The last 12 months seem to have been unprecedented in terms of the use and introduction of technology and digital innovation.

Who would have thought that OpenAI and ChatGPT only really came to market and wider use in November 2022? With the launch of Google’s AI and other platforms there does seem to be a frenzy of activity as organisations seek to understand what artificial intelligence can do for them or how it might impact their businesses.

Work starts on new Community Diagnostic Centre at Seacroft Hospital site

Tess Egginton
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Work starts on new Community Diagnostic Centre at Seacroft Hospital site
I&G have started work on the new Community Diagnostic Centre on the Seacroft Hospital site in Leeds. Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) are local hubs which provide a broad range of diagnostic care, such as checks, scans and tests, without patients having to go to a main hospital. The new CDC, which will be run by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, will be developed on the site of Seacroft Hospital, off York Road in Seacroft, Leeds. The project will involve the refurbishment of one of the unoccupied areas of the site, retrofitting it and adding two extensions to make it into a modern healthcare building to house state-of-the-art technology. Once open, the CDC will have the latest equipment to offer MRI and CT scanning, X-rays and various tests to local people, saving them a journey into the city to a large hospital. A major part of the work will be to improve the thermal efficiency of the old building, upgrading windows and insulation to ensure the centre will take less energy to heat and cool, and reducing its overall carbon footprint, adopting a retrofit programme of works that will protect the facility and those that use the building for many years to come. I&G Managing Director Christopher Carline said that the project would help give the building a new future: “Working in historic buildings is really rewarding, as through sensitive refurbishment we can bring them back to life, making them more sustainable and fit for the demands of modern healthcare for decades to come. “Working in the hospital grounds is a challenge, as there are already functioning medical facilities on the site, and we need to carefully plan our work to avoid disrupting patients and staff. However, I&G are experienced at completing complex projects on live hospital sites, so we’re confident we can deliver this exciting scheme and improve health outcomes for patients in Leeds.”
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