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Novus Property Solutions has appointed Sean Ryan as head of operations for Partnerships, part of its dedicated Interiors service which is a vital element of the national contractor’s five-year growth strategy.   Sean brings over 23 years’ experience in facility and project management services across multiple sectors, including healthcare and education. An accomplished engineer who has spent the past 12 years in senior leadership roles, Sean has led services in both central consulting and operational capacities, which has developed his ability to deliver exceptional quality-driven services.   Sean’s varied experience will be invaluable as Novus continues to expand its Interiors service, which offers a streamlined approach to turnkey refurbishment services through the contractor’s team of technical experts and trusted supply chain. Interiors features the three distinct areas of Partnerships, Major Projects, and Fast Track Fit Out to ensure all work – which spans small one-off projects to multi-million pound national refurbishments – is completed on time, on budget, and to the highest standard.   Partnerships provides a single source hard maintenance, minor works and small projects service for long term MTC clients and framework agreements.   Commenting on his new role, Sean said: “I am delighted to join Novus as Head of Operations for Partnerships at what is a very exciting time for the business. I’m looking forward to managing and enhancing our existing portfolio of clients in the healthcare and education sectors, as well as driving our overall business strategy through my passion for forming successful teams and creating strong customer relations." “My decision to join Novus was bolstered by its highly regarded reputation within the industry, and its commitment to maintaining a personable yet quality-driven service that is not eroded by its ambitions for growth. The onboarding process has been outstanding, and it’s clear that Novus prides itself on holding true to its core values as a family business.”   Matt Hiley, Executive Director at Novus Property Solutions added: “Novus has a long-held reputation for delivering operational excellence and reliability across our key sectors, and the structure of our streamlined Interiors service allows us to continue to build on this. We’re pleased to welcome Sean to Novus, and have no doubt that his impressive experience will play an important role in helping us achieve our business growth targets.”

Working at height specialists from Arco Professional Safety Services abseiled down the lastminute.com  London Eye with BBC Breakfast presenter John Maguire to give the iconic attraction a fresh coat of paint on the first day of spring. Positioned high above the capital, the Arco team worked at heights of 68m from the hub of the London Eye to help safely carry out the abseil and painting on live TV. The team had to utilise a range of work at height kit to ensure safe access and egress, including fall arrest lanyards, work positioning systems and personal suspension (abseil) equipment. The full paint refresh, which takes place every three years, requires around 5,000 litres to cover the entirety of the 135m high observation wheel - roughly the equivalent of painting 1,660 cars. Taking a team of eight painters working five nights a week for six months, this iconic London landmark requires a staggering 9,360 hours of painting maintenance to look its best. The Arco team consisted of Steve Dawson, work at height training manager, and Level 3 IRATA (Industrial Rope Access Trade Association) training instructors Pete Hancock and Chris Fricker. Steve Dawson said:  “The London Eye has been a great partner of ours for the past 20-25 years and it was a pleasure to work with the team on this event to showcase a British landmark and ensure it was carried out safely and securely." “This event showcases the truly bespoke offering that we are able to deliver at Arco and demonstrates the strength and breadth of expertise within our team.” Arco Professional Safety Services covers a complete range of safety solutions, including working at height, confined spaces and respiratory services visit here  for more information.

St Austell Brewery has signed a new 10-year deal with fellow Westcountry drinks brand, Thatchers Cider. The two companies have been working in close partnership since 2002. As part of the new, long-term strategic deal, St Austell Brewery will stock Thatchers cider in its managed pubs, from the Isles of Scilly to Bath. Thatchers will also continue to be a key drinks partner for publicans across the company’s 122-strong leased and tenanted estate. As the South West’s leading wholesale drinks distributor, Thatchers brands are also widely available to St Austell Brewery’s 3,000+ free trade customers across the region. Kevin Georgel, Chief Executive, St Austell Brewery said: “We’re delighted be continuing our longstanding partnership with Thatchers by signing this new 10-year deal. It’s a fellow family-owned drinks company, which shares many of our values." “Working collaboratively with other businesses in our region, and building strong long-term relationships, is something which has always been important to us. It’s fantastic to continue supporting one another by growing Thatchers’ Westcountry distribution whilst bolstering our drinks portfolio and cider offer for pub guests and wholesale customers.” Martin Thatcher, fourth generation cider maker, said: “Working in partnership with St Austell Brewery just makes sense; we share our values, roots and commitment to giving customers a great experience. This 10-year deal, which may seem short in comparison to the combined 292 years of family expertise our companies have, is a testament to our shared commitment to collaboration and sustainability. We look forward to raising a glass in a St Austell pub to celebrate!” Thatcher’s cider has been made on Myrtle Farm in Somerset since 1904. A family business just like St Austell Brewery, they’re on their fourth generation dedicated to its craft with a fifth already learning the craft. St Austell Brewery was founded by Walter Hicks in 1851. It remains an independent, family-owned business 172 years later. The company’s range of award-winning beers - including Tribute pale ale, Proper Job IPA and korev lager - are available in pubs and supermarkets nationwide. The business owns over 160 pubs, inns, and hotels across the West Country - including managed houses and leased and tenanted sites. It also operates two breweries, in St Austell and Warmley, near Bath.

Leading full-service marketing and communications agency, Big Bamboo, has appointed Matt Reeder as its new PR Director. An award-winning journalist with more than 30 years’ experience, Matt takes up the new role having worked alongside the 17-strong team as a PR consultant since November 2023. Dealing directly with the impressive list of Big Bamboo clients, he will provide a wide range of PR support from the writing of content and securing of media coverage, to offering media training and advice. Matt comments: “I am both thrilled and excited to be joining the Big Bamboo Agency on a permanent basis, having thoroughly enjoyed my time working for them on a consultancy basis." “Having already experienced first-hand how extremely talented and dedicated the team of marketing experts are at Big Bamboo, the opportunity to join them was simply too good to turn down.” Nicola Stamford, the company’s Owner and Founding Director, comments: “Matt is a welcome addition to the team, having already demonstrated his PR capability to us since November last year. I have no doubt he will be an asset to us and our clients.” Having started his career at The Northavon Gazette in 1993, Matt worked at the Derby Evening Telegraph and Swindon Advertiser before switching from news to sport and making his move to Yorkshire, firstly with the Evening Post and then The Yorkshire Post. After his coverage of Leeds United won him the prestigious NCTJ Sports Journalist of the Year award, he took on the role of Yorkshire Post Sports Editor for ten years before switching to become the title’s Head of Digital. Matt joined the Harrogate Advertiser as Deputy Editor in 2017, taking over as editor in 2021, before leaving to set up his own freelance PR business last year.

The Biochemical Society have given their annual Industry and Academic Collaboration Award to Professor Gopal Sapkota, of the University of Dundee. The Industry and Academic Collaboration Award is presented annually to an outstanding individual or team, from anywhere in the world, who has made an inspirational contribution to the biosciences and to industry–academia interactions. Professor Sapkota is based in the MRC Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit (MRC PPU) within the School of Life Sciences at Dundee. Professor Sapkota said, “I am delighted to have received this prestigious award. It is a recognition of the many productive collaborations that I have had, and continue to be part of, with some of the leading pharmaceutical partners.” “It is also a recognition of the hard work of all the students and postdocs in my lab over the years. I am hopeful this award will promote many more fruitful drug discovery collaborations with industry and allow our trainees an excellent opportunity to work alongside top pharmaceutical industries in a unique collaborative environment.” Born and raised in a remote part of Nepal, after completing his formative education Gopal won a British Council Scholarship to study biochemistry at the University of Bath. He undertook his PhD research at University of Dundee in Professor Dario Alessi’s laboratory, supported by a Diabetes UK PhD studentship. He then pursued postdoctoral training at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York with Joan Massagué and was awarded the prestigious Damon Runyon Cancer Research Fellowship to investigate the regulation of TGFβ signalling pathway. In November 2008, he joined the MRC PPU at the University of Dundee as a Programme Leader. In 2020, he was appointed Professor of Disease Signalling. His research focusses on understanding the fundamental mechanisms underpinning reversible phosphorylation and ubiquitylation processes in cell signalling and disease and harnessing this knowledge for innovative drug discovery approaches. He has been an integral part of the Division of Signal Transduction Therapy (DSTT), a long-running flagship collaboration between Dundee researchers and leading commercial pharmaceutical companies. Gopal has ongoing collaborative drug discovery projects with GSK, Janssen Pharmaceuticals and Amgen Inc. Professor Dario Alessi, Director of the MRC PPU, said, “This prestigious award is great recognition for the tremendous work Gopal has undertaken to understand disease-relevant signalling pathways and develop unique technologies to help researchers better interrogate biological systems. He has also devoted so much time and energy to foster long-term productive collaborations with pharmaceutical companies to help accelerate drug discovery and translate his research as well as to provide his trainees with exceptional experience of working with industry.” Gopal is one of fifteen eminent bioscientists, outstanding educators, and exceptional early career researchers acknowledged in the annual Biochemical Society Awards. Winners of the 2025 Awards represent a cross-section of the molecular biosciences, ranging from redox biology and plant-microbe interactions to mechanochemistry and virology. Professor Steve Busby, Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Birmingham, and Chair of the Biochemical Society’s Awards Committee, said, "The list of the 2025 Biochemical Society award-winners is impressive and, of course, we have a wonderful mix of awardees, since each prize is targeted to a different section of our community. This is due to great foresight by the Society’s managers and funders, over many many years. As well as congratulating the winners, I want to say thanks for all the hard work put in by nominators, supporters, Biochemical Society staff, and the Awards Panel during the current round, this scheme could not work without you, and your efforts made my job easy!”

easyJet, Europe's leading airline, today celebrated the opening of its new base at Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández airport, a step that further strengthens its presence in Spain, where it now has 4 bases. The first flight operated by Alicante based aircraft and crew took off on Sunday 31 March at 6.00 am to Glasgow with Captain Daniel Ankerso in command. The airline has allocated three aircraft of the A320 family at Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández airport, generating around 100 direct jobs for pilots and crew. The opening of this new seasonal base, which will be operational from March to October, consolidates easyJet's position in Spain, with 19 aircraft based in the country and around 900 people employed on local contracts. In addition to the economic boost that this announcement means for Alicante, the new base will allow easyJet to explore unserved markets and support existing key traffic flows. easyJet recently announced 10 new connections from Alicante, bringing its route network to 22 destinations and connecting it with key cities in Europe, such as Amsterdam, Geneva, Prague, and Nantes, among others. Since the first route between Alicante and London Stansted in 1999, the airline has carried more than 30 million passengers to/from Alicante and has positioned itself as the 2nd airline in terms of international connections. All in all, easyJet offers 1.5 million seats (capacity) in Alicante this summer season, an increase of around 10% compared to the same season in 2023. Javier Gándara, easyJet's country director for Southern Europe, commented: "With more than 30 million passengers carried since 1999, Alicante was one of the most popular destinations in our network that did not yet have a base, until now. Opening our fourth base in Spain in Alicante confirms our commitment to this region and is an opportunity to further expand and consolidate our operations in the country.” As Gándara explains, "the seasonal base model allows us to perfectly adapt to the needs of the market, boosting existing flows and giving us the opportunity to explore underved markets in the future that would have previously been inaccessible. Today we are particularly excited to be here in Alicante, to celebrate the beginning of our operations from the new base and to introduce easyJet, its business models and its values to the local community.” The Costa Blanca is also in the top 10 favourite destinations of easyJet Holidays customers, significantly contributing to the international tourism in the region and especially from the UK, with Manchester, London and Bristol being the main ports of origin. Bookings for the next summer are encouraging and currently already c. 60% ahead compared to the same period last year. The base opening was marked by an event attended by high representatives of Aena, easyJet, local and regional authorities, as well as the Alicante business community, represented by the Hotel and Tourism Business Association of the Valencian Community (HOSBEC), the Business Confederation of the Valencian Community (CEV) and the Association of Real Estate Developers of the Province of Alicante (Provia). Toni Pérez, president of the Diputación de Alicante and president of the Costa Blanca Tourist Board, has stated that the fact that easyJet is establishing a base at the airport "consolidates the Costa Blanca as a preferred destination, both in summer and the rest of the year. easyJet has shown an absolute confidence and commitment to the province of Alicante, aware of the results that the Alicante terminal records year after year, with a record figure of more than 15 million passengers carried in 2023".

XPO, a leading provider of innovative and sustainable end-to-end logistics solutions across Europe, has enhanced its maternity benefits for soon-to-be and new parents, boosting the company’s leadership position in family policies in the transportation and logistics sector. Currently, in the UK, XPO employees – or those adopting children – are entitled to Enhanced Maternity Pay after one year of service. Now, after two years of service, employees are entitled to the following additional pay benefits: The first six weeks of maternity leave are paid at 90% of their weekly average earnings. The following 20 weeks are paid at 80% of their basic pay + allowances (including statutory maternity pay). The remaining 13 weeks will be paid at the government statutory rate, or 90% of their average weekly earnings, whichever is lower. This means that employees receive a higher amount than the Government’s Statutory Maternity Pay for a significantly extended period, which will help new parents worry less about their finances during this critical time. UK advocacy organisations Unison and Maternity Action have called for increasing the current Statutory Maternity Pay to £364.70. Lynn Brown, vice-president of human resources – UK and Ireland, XPO Logistics, said: “We are proud to be leading the way in our industry on maternity and adoption pay, in addition to other family-friendly policies we have recently implemented and enhanced. This further demonstrates our desire to create a truly inclusive workforce that supports employees during key times in their lives.” XPO Logistics is a leading innovative supply chain company in Europe, offering end-to-end logistics solutions that combine full-truckload, less-than-truckload, pallet distribution, last-mile delivery, global freight forwarding, and warehousing services. The company tailors its solutions to the specific needs of its customers in a wide range of industrial and consumer sectors.

The Bradford Bulls believe in the power of diversity and the importance of creating environments where everyone feels valued, respected and appreciated. They have received support and guidance from Muslim Friendly Employers’ CEO Humayun Islam BEM BCAc in recent weeks, with a number of exciting developments still to come from this partnership. Humayun Islam BEM BCAc, Muslim Friendly Employers’ CEO said: “It’s great to have Bradford Bulls on board as a Muslim Friendly Employer. Embracing diversity isn’t about tolerance, it’s about genuine inclusion. As CEO of Muslim Friendly Employers, I’m proud to see Bradford Bulls step forward, not just welcoming, but personally embracing diversity. I am excited to collaborate with Ian Stafford and the Bulls, empowering them to become a beacon of inclusivity in sports and beyond.” Bradford Bulls’ Commercial Manager Ian Stafford said: “We are delighted to be working with Humayun and become the first UK Rugby League club to sign up as Muslim Friendly Employers." “In recent years, the club has made clear its commitment to create an inclusive, welcoming environment at Bartercard Odsal Stadium and this exciting partnership is another positive step forward." “While 2023 saw us hold the first Iftar at a Rugby League stadium in this country, which we repeated again in March of this year, we also held the Bradford Hindu Awards for the first time later in the year. 2023 also saw us host a Diwali celebration." “On behalf of the club I’d like to thank Humayun for his guidance and continued support, and we look forward to developing this partnership in the weeks and months to come.”

A high-quality complex of modern office suites situated in the historic city of York is close to achieving full occupancy after Grand Central Rail announced it would be relocating to the premises. Set within York’s famous medieval walls, the 23,091 sq. ft Grade-II listed building at 20 George Hudson Street is home to the likes of First Bus, Jacobs, RotaCloud and Simpson Associates. Grand Central is due to complete its move from Northern House at the start of May, taking up a 2,740 sq. ft second-floor suite with open-plan accommodation, two part-glazed meeting rooms, fitted kitchen and staff areas plus comfort cooling and heating. Formerly the home of York City Council, the building has been extensively refurbished, retaining many of the original features such as exposed brick walls and steelwork, complemented by modern toilets and kitchen facilities. Owned by Boultbee Brooks, this established office location provides convenient access to both the main shopping area and railway station, while the Tanner Row multi-storey car park is directly opposite and buses serving Park & Ride sites, the city centre and surrounding areas are available close by. On-site car parking facilities are also available for residents, while a range of hotels such as The Grand Hotel & Spa, Hampton by Hilton, Park Inn by Radisson, Travelodge and Malmaison are also situated nearby. Train operator Grand Central runs direct rail routes between the North East, West Yorkshire and London, with six return services a day between York and the capital. Chris Brandon, Head of Business Development at Grand Central, said: “Grand Central is pleased to be relocating its York head office to 20 George Hudson Street in York. We have been based in York since we began operations and the move to George Hudson Street allows us to retain our city centre location, with great local and national transport links whilst better reflecting our current office space requirements.” The Grand Central agreement follows the recent arrival of Simpson Associates which took up a third-floor suite at 20 George Hudson Street last year, and leaves the complex with only one remaining unit available to be let. Suite 3A offers contemporary offices, a fitted kitchenette, staff area and showers, while gas and electricity prices are fixed until 2025 and 2027. On-site car parking is also available. Chris Winn, property asset manager at Boultbee Brooks said: “In Grand Central, we are delighted to welcome yet another major business name to our modern office facility at 20 George Hudson Street." “Its location in the heart of historic York really does make this a special place to work, with ideal transport connections, high-spec office solutions and also the opportunity for additional on-site car parking to be provided." “With Grand Central’s arrival, we now have one last suite remaining, offering 2,325 sq. ft of prime office space on the third floor, offering all the amenities you would expect from a modern office space.” With over 30 years of experience investing in and managing property in the UK and beyond, Boultbee Brooks works with leading architects, planners, contractors, landscapers, interior and brand designers to create state-of-the-art commercial spaces.

Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust is proud to provide a donation of £1,000 to Glasgow Rugby League, a volunteer-led community rugby league club with a strong commitment to inclusivity and development. This funding is earmarked specifically for the training and development of the club's Wheelchair Rugby League team, supporting their growth and enhancing their capabilities with new equipment and playing strips. Glasgow Rugby League stands out for its comprehensive approach to the sport, supporting men’s 'Standard' and 'Wheelchair' clubs, with plans to launch 'Underage', and 'Women’s' teams—the latter two being unique initiatives in Scotland. With high operational costs for their facilities, this grant comes at a crucial time, enabling the club to not only maintain its operations but also to host events that promote the sport among young players and support charitable causes. Kris Hendrie, Men's Head Coach at Glasgow Rugby League, expressed his gratitude, stating, "We at Glasgow Rugby League are so grateful for the support from Allied Vehicles. These funds will greatly assist our current setup and significantly boost the wheelchair team in a critical development year. With this grant, we can purchase essential equipment and playing strips for the squad. We are very grateful once again for the support from the team at Allied Vehicles." The contribution from the Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust underscores the Trust's dedication to fostering inclusivity and participation in society for those with disabilities. By supporting Glasgow Rugby League, the Trust aims to encourage more people, regardless of ability, to engage in and enjoy the camaraderie and benefits of sporting activities. David Facenna, Corporate Culture Director at Allied Vehicles, highlighted the alignment of this initiative with the company's core values, saying, "Supporting the Glasgow Rugby League’s wheelchair team, resonates deeply with us at Allied Vehicles." “A huge part of our business is manufacturing wheelchair accessible vehicles which make a real difference to people’s lives, and this donation continues to show our commitment to promoting accessibility and inclusivity in all areas of life, including sports. We're proud to support the development of wheelchair rugby in Glasgow and look forward to seeing the positive impact this will have on the team and the community.”

Two breweries have teamed up to make a ‘supercharged’ version of one of St Austell Brewery’s most famous beers – Proper Job. Sauvin so Good was an idea brewed up by Mark Tranter of Burning Sky Brewery and Georgina Young, brewing director at St Austell Brewery. The pair got chatting about a collaboration at a beer event last year, with Mark heading down to Cornwall from East Sussex to bring the beer to life as part of St Austell Brewery’s Cask Club series. Having thrown a few ideas around about beer styles, they settled on brewing a punchier, super-hoppy version of Proper Job, thanks to Mark’s love of the flagship IPA. Georgina said: “I did think we might be brewing a funky cask sour, but Mark’s admiration for Proper Job ended up being the inspiration for this beer. We have experimented with the classic recipe though." “We have brewed the version of the beer we do for bottle and can and then pepped it up with some Nelson Sauvin, Motueka and lashings of more Chinook. If you love extremely hoppy beers, this is one for you.” “I’m a huge Burning Sky fan. I enjoy Arise and Aurora to name but a few of their cracking beers. It’s exciting to be collaborating with them for our Cask Club series.” Sauvin so Good, a 5.5% ABV New Zealand IPA will have big, punchy tropical fruit flavours including lychees and grapefruit. Burning Sky brewery in East Sussex was a dream made reality by head brewer, Mark, who has a love of punchy hop-forward pale ales and the Belgian beer tradition. Mark said: “Knowing my fondness for Proper Job, George shared a few bits of the recipe with me, and we were both keen to brew a slant on it using New Zealand hops, which we both love. We also used malted spelt, which we use a lot at Burning Sky, and a proper big dry hop." “Having a day at St Austell Brewery was great. Being able to see around the whole brewery and how it was modernised to meet with new marketplace demands was a real treat.” St Austell Brewery’s Cask Club sees a variety of experimental beers brewed in its small batch brewery each year, giving brewers the freedom to innovate. As a result, an exciting programme of limited-edition beers in cask are available in select pubs and its Visitor Centre.

Virgin Atlantic is delighted to add a second daily flight to Mumbai, signalling its continued commitment to the region. The new flight is the airline’s fifth daily service to India and complements its double daily services to Delhi and recently launched flights to Bengaluru. From 2025, Virgin Atlantic will offer over one million seats to the country, a 350% capacity growth since 2019, cementing India’s position as a key strategic market for the airline and marking its largest area of growth outside the United States. Alongside options for customers, the increase in flying is also a huge boost for cargo operations with additional capacity to support the movement of goods from the fashion, pharmaceuticals and tech sectors. With five daily services, Virgin Atlantic Cargo will offer over 40 million kg of space to and from India, a 336% increase in capacity versus 2019. Commencing on the 27 October 2024 and on sale from Wednesday 10th April 2024, the services will operate on the airline’s state of the art Airbus A350-1000, offering customers the option of Upper Class, Premium and Economy Delight, Classic and Light as well as the airline’s signature Upper Class social space. It will also offer seamless connectivity and a premium long-haul experience for those customers connecting via London Heathrow from destinations throughout North America including Seattle, San Francisco and New York JFK, with Virgin Atlantic and transatlantic joint venture partner, Delta Air Lines. Virgin Atlantic is also pleased to quadruple the number of Indian based cabin crew operating on our India routes this summer. Through GSA partner InterGlobe Air Transport, the airline will now average four Indian cabin crew on each flight in order to deliver a more personalised service to Indian customers. In addition to offering three direct destinations in India from London Heathrow, Virgin Atlantic has a strategic partnership with IndiGo, India’s leading airline. Customers can book one ticket which allows them to connect seamlessly to other popular destinations in India such as Ahmedabad, Goa and Hyderabad through Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. In total the partnership offers 36 additional destinations and has so far connected over 80,000 customers. Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer, Virgin Atlantic, commented; “There is a huge opportunity for us in India, it has a dynamic, fast-growing economy and we’re anticipating a huge growth in demand for international travel from the region. We know both our customers and people love travelling to India and we have a rich history in the destination. Next year marks 25 years of operations and the first time that we’ll offer more than one million seats from London Heathrow." "The doubling of our Mumbai services reaffirms our strong commitment and will allow our customers to travel seamlessly throughout India and beyond, flying on one of the youngest fleets in the skies, with our signature personalised service, delivered by our amazing people.”