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The Brewers Foundation were delighted to be able to support Wiltshire School of Gymnastics with the donation of specialist paints and technical advice to transform their external fire escape, bike rack and doors as they were in desperate need of painting. Wiltshire School of Gymnastics are an educational charity based in Melksham, Wiltshire that provides gymnastics and trampolining opportunities for children and young adults. They also have a youth leadership scheme within which teenagers are provided with a fully funded opportunity to become sports leaders and coaches. They currently have approximately 1500 members weekly and they are also one of the main competition venues within the Southwest region, hosting around 20 events annually. A full range of products was donated to ensure the perfect finish.

Last year, the Brewers Foundation donated 60 litres of paint to Props, a charity in Bristol who support adults with learning disabilities through skills development, professional training and employment opportunities. They used the paint to create a mural for the first disability led brewery in the UK and this year have built their first high street café and Enterprise Hub in Fishponds. Crafted by Props is their latest social enterprise to join the Props family – Tapestry by Props brewery, Vassall Cafe by Props, Cycle Hub by Props and Workshop by Props. Props’ mission is to create an inclusive society by empowering adults who have learning disabilities to achieve purposeful and rewarding work opportunities. Their work is deeply integrated within the wider community to challenge perceptions of what people who have learning disabilities should expect from society. Props foster independence and support people to grow in all aspects of their lives. Simon Brewer, CEO of Brewers Decorator Centres adds: "We were really excited to be able to help this fantastic organisation once again, with the donation of a wide variety of colours and finishes to completely transform the café. Over the last year they have transformed a run-down retail unit on Fishponds Road, creating a welcoming and inclusive venue that serves and celebrates the diverse needs and perspectives of everyone in the community, especially those too often excluded from accessing public spaces." A key area of the café that needed decoration is the ‘trainee quiet space’ giving trainees who want to work for the café space for time away from the public if they need it. The café will train and employ up to 60 adults with learning disabilities, the first of its kind in the wider region. As Simon concludes, "The new café looks absolutely incredible, and we were thrilled to be able to support such an exciting new opportunity for so many people!"

The Brewers Foundation were delighted to donate over £1,000 worth of decorating supplies to Habitat for Humanity, a charity tackling housing poverty around the world with the funds used on their 'Empty Spaces To Homes' project in the UK. Here in the UK their work focuses on converting empty commercial spaces into affordable accommodation for vulnerable people, and taking action on furniture poverty, making homes a place of wellbeing and security. Supplies were donated for their Empty Spaces to Homes Project which includes a dedicated workshop and helps in the conversion of empty and disused commercial spaces into affordable accommodation for vulnerable people. Only 2% of social housing is let furnished, and setting up a new home is expensive, so the workshop meets this need by refurbishing furniture to provide high quality items to set up new homes, supported by volunteers from the business community. Their work in Barking and Dagenham, where the upcycling workshop is based, focuses on retrofitting empty spaces to create homes for young people transitioning out of the care system. Find out more about The Brewers Foundation and the work that it does to support communities and the work of charities like Habitat for Humanity here

Brewers were thrilled to be able to donate £500 to Dentaid , to help them redecorate a vital space to carry out their life changing work. Dentaid, The Dental Charity, provides outreach dental care for people experiencing homelessness and other socially excluded groups across the UK. There are 8 mobile charity dental units that will be used to deliver 500 clinics in the UK this year from the Channel Islands to Scotland and Belfast to Norwich. Every clinic has a volunteer dentist and dental nurse who give up their time to help some of the most vulnerable people in their community to access dental care. Their patients include people experiencing homelessness, survivors of abuse, cancer patients, fishing communities, refugees, families living in poverty and people living with and overcoming addiction. Treatment is free for all patients and they believe that accessing dental care can help them feel more confident and improve their chances of moving on to a new chapter in their lives. The pandemic compounded an already existing problem for post radiotherapy patients in accessing dental care as many dentists in practice are quite reluctant to provide treatment, often due to a lack of training and unsure as to guidelines and protocols for the management of this specialist group of patients. In short, radiotherapy may attack the cancer, but it has a disastrous effect on the gums, teeth and mouth. As a result, they are almost falling into observed neglect. The partnership between Dentaid and University Hospital Southampton (UHS) has funded two years of clinics, one every two weeks, for head and neck cancer patients referred by the UHS. Although most of the clinics are delivered on the charity dental units outside soup kitchens, hostels, night shelters and community buildings etc some of the patients, such as people living with head and neck cancer who have access to transport, can see a dentist on a unit parked outside their head office in Totton. Prior to Brewers ’ support, the waiting room had unmatching, donated armchairs that were impossible to clean and didn’t have suitable armrests for patients to push themselves up from. The room was cold and in a poor state of decoration. “Brewers’ support has enabled us to refurbish and redecorate the space to make it more welcoming for our patients who are living with head and neck cancer and require dental care. We have also purchased three new chairs that are suitable for clinical waiting rooms and can be wiped down to reduce cross-infection risk. The room is now warm, bright and more professional and we are very grateful for Brewers’ support,” adds Jill Harding, Head of Communications and Corporate Relations.

AIPUT (Airport Industrial Property Unit Trust) has today announced that the London Borough of Hounslow has granted planning permission for a new 67,000 sq ft GEA (Gross External Area) high-spec industrial warehouse building at its Radius Park industrial campus at Heathrow Airport. The new ‘RP6’ warehouse will be a consolidation of two previous warehouse buildings at AIPUT’s 16-acre Radius Park campus. The building will be stripped back to the structural steel and floor slab to create a new high quality, sustainable and flexible single warehouse building that will also include Grade A first floor offices and benefit from a highly secure, fenced location. The new warehouse has been designed to achieve EPC A+ energy sustainability performance, incorporating a range of environmental initiatives including roof-mounted photovoltaic panels and other Low and Zero Carbon technologies designed to minimise both embodied and operational carbon. Additionally, large areas of sustainably sourced timber cladding will be used on the new building. The finished warehouse is projected to achieve a minimum of BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and EPC ‘A+’ ratings. RP6 represents the latest step in the delivery of AIPUT’s Pathway to Net Zero strategy, which seeks to decarbonise the fund’s operations and its entire logistics real asset portfolio by 2040. The site enjoys exceptional access to Heathrow Airport via the Perimeter Road at Hatton Cross (including key control posts such as the Heathrow Maintenance Base) and enjoys easy access to key highway routes including the M25, M4, A30 and A312. Commenting on the Radius Park refurbishment, AIPUT Fund Manager, Nick Ireland, said: “We are delighted that the London Borough of Hounslow has supported our proposal for this significant investment in the enhancement of AIPUT’s Radius Park industrial campus." “Our new building has been designed to incorporate a range of environmental standards supporting AIPUT’s ambition to decarbonise the fund’s real estate portfolio by 2040.” Subject to the timing of final legal agreements, AIPUT hopes that the new RP6 warehouse will be ready for tenant occupation by Q4 2024. The fund’s existing customers at its Radius Park campus include ASC Cargo, Brinks, Customs Clearance Limited, ECMS Global and Gate Gourmet. AIPUT was advised on the planning application by PRC Group and Northland, with JLL and Logix appointed as letting agents. Further details of RP6 can be found here .

Selected from nearly a thousand entries, 11 extraordinary women from across the country have been unveiled as the 2023 winners in the UK’s longest-running recognition programme for female entrepreneurs. The everywoman Entrepreneur Awards, in association with BGF and NatWest, brought together over 400 talented women and supporters of female entrepreneurs to celebrate the achievements of these extraordinary women and their businesses. For over two decades everywoman has been at the forefront of the drive to increase the number of female entrepreneurs, working with government, industry bodies and the corporate sector to accelerate the rate of progress and dismantle barriers that remain for women, particularly when it comes to accessing funding, growing, and scaling their businesses. Despite a record breaking 150,000 women founding new businesses in the UK last year and all-female-led companies representing over 20.6% of UK businesses (up from 16.7% in 2018), the percentage of total deal value for all-female-founder businesses has decreased from 5.8% in 2016 to 3.5% in 2023. Speaking about the awards, Maxine Benson MBE, Co-Founder of everywoman said: “The everywoman Entrepreneur Awards have a central role to play in highlighting the disconnect between the growth ambitions of female founded businesses and their access to funding. These brilliant women are wealth and job creators and the businesses we must be investing in for the growth of UK Plc. The awards are a call to arms for the investment and finance communities to double down on their efforts to understand how they can better serve these ambitious, unstoppable female founders." "For the past 20 years these awards have provided a platform to share the stories of hundreds of entrepreneurs; encouraging, emboldening, and empowering other women to follow suit. We are thrilled to celebrate the winners’ success and hope their ambition, resilience, and innovation to start, grow and scale their businesses, against the odds, will go on to inspire others and provide the motivation that will strengthen the backbone of the UK’s economy.” Ultimate Accolade The everywoman Woman of the Year Award was presented to Helen Cannon, Founder & CEO of ISON Travel Ltd, from Surrey, who was described by judges as “a force to be reckoned with.” ISON Travel delivers corporate travel management for clients that want exceptional service and with a phenomenal 300% growth since 2019, from £9.7 million turnover to £40million in 2023. Helen grew her business from scratch in 2013 after deciding that she couldn’t make the corporate world work for her and her family of five children. Helen has built ISON Travel with the firm belief that, regardless of personal circumstances, every woman should have the opportunity to pursue a career in their chosen field. Helen’s humble, people-focused approach and passion for recruiting women whose skills are not being utilised in a traditional workplace setting wowed the judges. She employs a diverse workforce of talent, 70% female and 50% part time who have delivered 4x growth in 2 years, with offices in London, Southampton, Singapore, Dubai, India, and Philippians. The 2023 Category Winners: SOLOPRENEUR AWARD – sponsored by Nutriment - awarded to a woman running a business as an independent sole trader: Emily Pomroy-Smith, Founder of BamBonn, from Trowbridge. Emily turned a personal challenge into a thriving 6-figure business within four years. Her quest for sustainable, ethically made sleep protection for hair led to the creation of BamBonn. Launched in 2020, BamBonn transformed Emily from a disabled mother on benefits to an award-nominated disabled entrepreneur with a growing team of women. The BamBonn quickly went viral, becoming a sought-after cult hair item worldwide. Demand for BamBonn skyrocketed, making it a game-changer in the industry. MUMPRENEUR AWARD - awarded to a woman who founded her business whilst raising a child/children aged 12 or under: Cait Salanson, Founder & Managing Director at The Little Kitchen Company, from Winchester. Cait left a senior role in Financial Services in 2010 to launch the Little Kitchen Company (LKC). LKC was born out of a passion for amazing food and customer experience, as well as a desire to better balance the challenges of a growing young family. LKC has grown (from a ‘little kitchen’ at home) into an award-winning business employing over 70 permanent staff. As a supporter of women in business, she is proud to offer senior roles to talented women, building on their pre-established work and life skills and talents. SMALL ENTERPRISE AWARD – sponsored by NatWest - award celebrates an inspiring woman who has founded a profitable business with less than 25 employees: Ibi Eso, Founder & CEO of Bridgehouse, from London. Established in 2006 Bridgehouse provides flexible company secretarial services and excellent governance support for companies and organisations and has had an average 30% growth every year and now employs 22 staff (employed and self-employed contractors). A trained lawyer and Chartered Secretary, Ibi has over two decades’ experience working with boards to embed good governance frameworks within their organisations, from multinationals to membership organisations. Ibi leads a rapidly expanding, multi-skilled international team with a single goal: to make a real difference to clients. SCALE UP AWARD – sponsored by BGF - celebrates a woman who has founded a company that is in a period of high growth, achieving 20% growth or more in either employment or turnover year on year for at least 3 financial years: Aimee Connolly, Founder & CEO of Sculpted by Aimee, from Dublin. The award-winning company is one of Ireland and UK’s fast-growing beauty brands, with the range increasing from one product to over 100 since it launched in 2017 and has developed a strong following and loyal community online. Aimee was 24 years old when she set up the brand which remains entirely self-funded, with Aimee starting to save the capital she needed to launch when she started working part-time at 16. Now with 55 staff and counting, over 500 stockists in Ireland and the UK and the Middle East, the brand also recently opened a flagship store on Grafton Street, Kildare Village, Belfast Victoria Square & London Carnaby. They also boast an education arm, Sculpted the Academy which has trained hundreds of make-up artists since it opened. In 2021 Aimee also won the top prize in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Awards in the emerging category and in 2022 she was named Young Businesswoman of the Year in the Image PWC. INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION AWARD – sponsored by Rathbone Financial Planning - awarded to a female founder who has successfully expanded her product/service to a new geographic market: Emily Bendell, Founder & CEO at Bluebella, from London. Emily studied Politics, Philosophy & Economics at Oxford University and had a brief stint as a journalist before turning her love of lingerie into a career and launching her business in 2005. Bluebella is a lingerie brand on a mission to redefine sensuality with the core brand principles of Strength, Fashion, Modernity, and Inclusivity. Selling internationally via ecommerce and wholesale the multi-award winning brand has a team of 40+ based out of East London and selling internationally, with the US business growing by 30% year on year. Emily is also a mentor and advocate of women, campaigner, mum to two and step mum to one. THE NEXT LEVEL AWARD – sponsored by SG Kleinwort Hambros - awarded to a female founder who has a highly profitable business (above £1,000,000 EBITDA): Sally Alington, Founder & CEO of Ethos Farm Limited, from East Mosely. An experienced business leader and entrepreneur, Sally’s passion for this sector comes from over two decades of working with airports, airlines, retailers, travel retailers, hospitality and leisure organisations and it is this frontline and hands-on experience that drives the belief at the heart of Ethos Farm – your employees are your biggest asset and brand ambassadors and should be front and centre of organisational culture and CX strategies. Sally’s commitment to philanthropy is clear with accessibility, diversity and inclusion being key areas in which the Ethos Farm business excels by supporting clients to achieve more. ENTREPRENEUR FOR GOOD AWARD – sponsored by Specsavers - Awarded to a woman who has founded a business that contributes to the greater good, whether this is through a social enterprise, diversity and inclusion, a focus on sustainability or another area of impact: Dipalee Jukes, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Ground & Water Ltd, from London. The geotechnical and environmental engineering consultancy was founded in 2009. Since founding the business 14 years ago, she now employees 18 people and the business has grown in revenue year on year and finished on just over £2.5m turnover at end of the financial year in March earlier this year, with goals to grow to £5m turnover in the next 3 years and grow to a team of 30. Dipalee is a second generation British Indian, a geologist, engineer, mum of 3, and gender equality advocate working in a predominantly male industry. She’s passionate about inspiring and empowering young girls, women, and women of colour into the industry through her involvement in Inspiring Girls UK and hosting the podcast Chai & Chat Engineering to showcase female role models within the industry and inspire others. TECH INNOVATOR AWARD – sponsored by AddIn365 - award recognises a woman who is creating innovative tech which is creating change within industry: Marvee-Lisa Booker, Co-Founder & Chief Growth Office at Postworks Ltd, from Northampton. The pioneering tech start-up was founded in 2015 and is the UK’s award-winning platform for sending and receiving letters with sustainability, cost-saving solutions and efficiency at its core. Over the last seven years, Marvee-Lisa’s steered remarkable growth and industry disruption, blending innovation with a rebellious brand, growing their turnover from £350k in 2019 to £10 million to date. Beyond business, she’s on a mission to empower women at work, using her influence to champion equality and well-being. She is committed to sowing the seeds of identity in other women, helping them recognise their value and worth. BRAND OF THE FUTURE AWARD – sponsored by The White Company - awarded to the female founder that has recognised where there is a real gap in the market and demonstrates great potential for growth. The winner of this award will receive a mentoring session with Chrissie Rucker OBE, founder of TWC, and also the CEO and other Directors within the business: Grace Beverley, Founder and CEO of TALA, from London. The sustainably made activewear brand was founded in 2020, and Grace has since built her name as a successful female entrepreneur with a global following of 3 million people, is an established speaker and podcast host and was named first in Forbes 30 under 30’s retail and e-commerce list at age twenty-three, highlighting her work to accelerate the sustainable-fashion space. Now with 39 employees, in TALA’s 3rd year of trading, TALA closed a 5.7m dollar investment round with blue chip venture capital and private equity firms. Grace’s first book ‘Working Hard, Hardly Working’ was an instant Sunday Times No. 1 Bestseller and her podcast, under the same name, has a reach of over 4 million people and hasn’t left Spotify’s Top 5 in the Business Charts. S OCIAL STAR AWARD - awarded to a woman who has significantly grown or launched her business using predominantly the power of social media: Yanika Cordina, Founder & Director of Cordina Hair, from Poole. Frustrated with the lack of heatless curling tools that worked for fine hair types, Yanika set about solving the gap in the market herself, using her manufacturing experience from working night shifts in a factory in Malta, in her late teens. Cordina Hair began trading in 2018 and Yanika is now multiple IP owner for her hair curling inventions, Flower Curl and Waver Bun. From gaining manufacturing knowledge Scouted online, Yanika was invited to pitch her hair tools on national TV; Dragons’ Den and walked out with a deal. With no college or marketing background, Yanika’s online videos reached over 95M views organically, resulting in multiple sell outs. Daina Spedding, Investor at BGF, commented: “We’re delighted to shine a light on these worthy winners. Their resilience, tenacity and determination is even more inspiring given the challenging economic backdrop in which they are operating. It’s our hope that by raising awareness of the financial and strategic support available to ambitious founders we can build even more successful business in the future and act as a beacon to women-led businesses across the UK and Ireland.” Julie Baker, Head of Enterprise and Climate Engagement and Partnerships at NatWest Group, says: “The everywoman Entrepreneur Awards are, as always, a fantastic opportunity to come together to celebrate and showcase the remarkable women entrepreneurs who make an invaluable contribution to business and are fantastic role models. I am proud that NatWest is associate sponsor of the Awards and congratulations to all winners and finalists.”

With budgets and resources stretched, it is unsurprising that businesses have cut costs by relying on employees to use their own vehicles – grey fleet – for work more often than pre-COVID. However, a Europcar Mobility Group UK study, published in its latest report – Greening the Grey Fleet – has found this is leaving businesses lagging behind where they and their employees want to be in terms of sustainability. In particular, employees want to see their employers do more to encourage greener mobility. “Sustainability is on the agenda for most businesses,” commented Mark Newberry, Commercial Director and Sustainability spokesperson at Europcar Mobility Group UK. “Cutting emissions from transport is a top priority as it is one of the biggest contributors and it is an area where organisations have the ability to make change through direct action." “We are seeing more and more business customers shift their focus to greener vehicle options, however employee feedback suggests they are not going far enough. Those driving their own vehicles want to see more stringent policies put in place to reduce Grey Fleet emissions.” Report Highlights: 81% of businesses rely on grey fleet for business travel More than half of employees using their own vehicle for business travel every week; a quarter use it every day 32% of employees said their employer has no green travel options available 27% would like to be given access to zero emissions vehicles through a car sharing or pool fleet scheme, to simultaneously reduce the use of their own vehicle and cut emissions. Mark Newberry continued: “Reducing the impact of a business fleet, whether company cars or grey fleet, does not have to mean providing electric vehicles to all employees required to travel for work. At Europcar we believe in supporting the transition in a way that suits the individual needs of the business and its employees." "Renting a younger and therefore more fuel-efficient fleet is a good first step, with hybrid or fully electric vehicles included where viable. This will help businesses navigate the growing number of low emission and clean air zones around the country, while cutting emissions and fuel costs compared to a typically older grey fleet." “The pandemic has changed how people work and how much they travel. So flexibility is key to enable businesses to navigate the economic challenges while meeting environmental targets.” Simple steps to reduce emissions from business travel: Encourage vehicle sharing and reduce work journeys where appropriate Encourage a greater reliance on public transport Impose an upper emissions limit and a maximum engine capacity for grey fleet vehicles Install electric vehicle charging at business premises Support home charging for employees (installing home chargers, contributing to energy bills, etc) Full results and more tips for businesses looking to reduce Grey Fleet emissions are available in the report, Greening the Grey Fleet, available to download here .

Around 200 migratory bird species across the world – including swifts and eagles - are impacted by cyclones and droughts, and with these extreme weather events only set to worsen under a warming planet, the future of these species is at risk. A new ZSL-led paper published today reveals the extent to which migratory birds - such as cranes, buzzards and nightjars - are exposed to cyclones and droughts. With these extreme weather events likely to intensify with climate change, scientists at the international conservation charity behind the study warn that conservation opportunities to protect these birds may be being missed. Combining almost 30 years of global cyclone and drought data with information on 383 fully migratory bird species, the team identified that 182 species were highly exposed to either cyclones or drought in either their breeding or wintering ranges, with an additional 67 species highly exposed to both types of events within a singular range. Senior author Professor Nathalie Pettorelli from ZSL’s Institute of Zoology said: “We cannot ignore how important migration is for global ecosystem health. These birds travel huge distances every year to raise chicks and survive the colder months, connecting ecosystems across the world. They provide vital ecosystem benefits including pest control and pollination of plants, while sometimes acting as key food sources for local wildlife.” Many geese and duck species move seeds and nutrients across countries and habitats, increasing plant diversity and increasing the fertility of local soils. Meanwhile, other species such as common swifts – seen soaring and darting across the British skies in spring and summer – provide insect control and crop protection in both their Eurasian breeding grounds and wintering grounds in Africa. However, they are also extremely exposed to drought – more than 95% of populations in both ranges have experienced extreme drought at some point in the last 30 years. The study also reveals that cranes, crakes, rails and nightjars were most commonly exposed to cyclones, while hawks, eagles, vultures and kites were most exposed to droughts. The eastern whip-poor-will (a mottled North American nightjar named after its whistling song) and the grey-faced buzzard (one of the only raptors to migrate over the ocean as it travels from breeding grounds in Japan and Korea to South East Asia) are particularly exposed to both events. 29% of the eastern whip-poor-wills wintering range has been hit by cyclones over the last 30 years, while almost all of the grey-faced buzzard’s breeding and wintering range has experienced drought over the same period. Nathalie added: “These birds are also a source of delight for millions of bird watchers and enthusiasts around the world – and many species that we‘re used to seeing here in the UK, such as swifts, pied flycatchers and house martins, are already being exposed to these extreme events.” Lead author Rhys Preston Allen, a former student at ZSL’s Institute of Zoology who is now doing his PhD at Imperial College London, explained: “We are already seeing worrying declines in migratory species populations around the world. Birdwatchers across Europe have noted fewer songbirds returning from wintering areas each spring, year after year." “The journeys carried out by migratory species are a massive undertaking. Even so, migration is a vital survival strategy that evolved because the benefits - such as increased food availability - outweighed the costs. Unfortunately, this balance is shifting under escalating pressures from climate change and other threats, leading to less predictable ‘windows of opportunity’ along their migratory routes. This trend not only endangers the bird species involved, but also threatens the entire global network of ecosystems reliant on their migrations.” The researchers call for joined-up conservation efforts across the wintering and breeding grounds of migratory birds, along with global action to tackle climate change. While the study identifies a significant number of species exposed to cyclones and droughts, only 10 are currently listed with cyclones as a threat under the IUCN Red List’s ‘climate change and severe weather’ category, and 18 are listed as threatened by droughts. Dr Henry Häkkinen, a researcher at ZSL’s Institute of Zoology and co-author of the study explained: “Protecting species begins with understanding the threats they face. Extreme weather events such as cyclones and droughts aren’t always factored into extinction risk assessments – but our work shows they must be. The Red List is vital for guiding conservation, and as our understanding of the threats wildlife face grows, our assessments of their extinction risk must adapt to ensure we don't miss vital windows for action.” Rhys added: “As it stands, key biodiversity indicators, such as the Red List, currently fail to assess the risks faced by migratory species across their entire range – so the vulnerability of many species could be severely underestimated. Our research shows there are clear and exciting opportunities to improve our estimates of extinction risk for these species. We hope this is another step towards the next generation of biodiversity assessments.” With these threats likely to worsen with climate change, Nathalie emphasised the need for global efforts to tackle the roots of the issue: “World leaders are currently in Dubai to discuss the action needed to tackle climate change. The biodiversity and climate change crises are two sides of the same coin. Not only is it imperative we significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions to avoid climate chaos and protect people and wildlife, but it’s also essential that decision-makers champion nature and healthy, functioning ecosystems as key players for climate change mitigation and adaptation” “In the fight against climate change, humans and wildlife are allies. We need action now: the road to a sustainable future where humans and wildlife thrive is clear; all we need is the political will to get us there.” ZSL believes nature can recover, and that conservation is most effective when driven by science. We call for science to guide all global decisions on environment and biodiversity and build a healthier future for wildlife, people and the planet. Find out more and support ZSL’s world-leading, collaborative science and conservation work at www.zsl.org

Contractor Clegg Construction has held a topping out ceremony at an 11-storey apartment complex being built for property developer Rise Homes in Leeds. Spinners Yard is a 185-apartment, U-shaped, build-to-rent scheme in Regent Street in the Mabgate area of Leeds City Centre. It is the second build-to-rent project Clegg Construction has undertaken in partnership with Rise Homes and follows the recent completion of The Ironworks - a £28.7m, 11-storey apartment development in Sheffield. Featuring a mix of studio, one, two and three-bedroom apartments, Spinners Yard is due to be completed in 2025. Clegg Construction operations director, Darren Chapman, said: “We are very pleased to have reached the key topping out stage for this development. This will allow us to continue adding the external walls and glazing up the building, followed by the internal fit-out." “Spinners Yard is regenerating brownfield land and will breathe new life into the area, providing a desirable residential development with a range of properties to rent.” The ground floor of Spinners Yard will incorporate a plant room, enclosed parking for cars, motor bikes and cycles to one half with the other containing the entrance lobby and reception, the centre management office, a lounge, break out and work spaces, and a gym. Two staircases/lift areas provide access to upper residential floors. The first floor will incorporate a residents’ garden space with another spacious roof garden on the tenth floor. Once completed, the development will feed into the Leeds PIPES District Heat Network. Nigel Rawlings, CEO of Rise Homes, added: “We are delighted with Clegg’s progress at Spinner’s Yard and we are very much looking forward to the completion of this sustainable development linked to the Leeds City energy from waste plant offering high-quality, spacious apartments at both affordable and market rents featuring many other environmental benefits.” During construction work on the Spinners Yard site, Clegg Construction has been hosting groups of Leeds College of Building Trade and Management students, aged 16 to 19, to provide them with valuable insight into the sector. The students have also been visiting the site next door, where Clegg Construction is building The Fabric Works, a 402-bed student accommodation scheme. In addition, Clegg Construction is sponsoring a local Army Reserve (formerly the Territorial Army) squadron in Leeds by providing T-shirts worn as part of the uniform and during physical training, and is currently collecting food, toiletries and other items for the Blessed of the Father Food Bank, part of Leeds Food Aid Network, at its Spinners Yard and The Fabric Works sites. The company is very familiar with Leeds, having delivered the external recladding of the Premier Inn Leeds City Centre Arena hotel in 2021, the replacement of flammable cladding on the high-rise Waterside Apartments development during the same year, and the design and build of the Premier Inn Leeds Headingly Hotel (constructed on top of the Arndale shopping centre) in 2017. More recently, Clegg Construction started working on a multi-million-pound refurbishment of the Cosmopolitan Hotel in the city. Clegg Construction is a Midlands, East Anglia, and Yorkshire-based construction firm specialising in the delivery of public and private sector projects. The company works with organisations of all sizes and specialties across a range of different sectors. For more information visit www.cleggconstruction.co.uk

JCB’s annual Christmas Toy Appeal is set to deliver a sackful of festive cheer to children in Staffordshire and Wrexham thanks to a record number of gift donations. The appeal got under way in November with the installation of 14 collections points at JCB plants in Staffordshire, Derbyshire, and Wrexham. Today it was revealed that a total of 1,242 gifts had been donated as George Burton, aged five, and brother Henry, aged three, handed over the final two toys for the appeal to JCB Chairman Anthony Bamford in the reception at JCB’s World HQ at Rocester where all the presents are assembled. Now the gifts are being handed over to the NSPCC, the Stoke-on-Trent Hubb Foundation and Wrexham-based Yellow and Blue charity, for distribution to children at Christmas. As well as huge support from JCB employees, the GMB Union also donated £1,250 to buy toys, the JCB Academy raised £300 for the purchase of gifts and IT specialists Cap Gemini donated 40 toys. Lord Bamford said today: “When it comes to supporting a good cause, JCB employees are second to none. Every single one of the gifts donated will make a difference to a child this Christmas and it is heart-warming to see that everyone has given so generously.” Adam Yates, Chief Operating Officer of the Hubb Foundation, said: “I can’t thank everyone at JCB enough for what they have done. I can say without any doubt that The JCB Christmas Toy Appeal really does make Christmas so much brighter for many hundreds of children in Staffordshire. I saw that for myself last year, which is why we are so grateful for every single gift which is donated.” Rachael Holdcroft, NSPCC Strategic Service Manager (Together for Childhood, Stoke), said: “It is so heart-warming to see more than 1,200 gifts which have been donated to the JCB Christmas Toy Appeal because I know just what an impact this will have on the children this Christmas." "I know that this year has been difficult for so many, so it really is incredible to know that even though times are tough, people still care about children and want to do their bit to ensure that all children receive a gift at Christmastime.” Employees at JCB’s plants in Rocester, Uttoxeter, Cheadle, Hixon, Foston and Wrexham all took part in the appeal, helping beat last year’s donation total of 1,000 gifts.

Family businesses are recognised for taking a long-term view and planning for generations to come. Values are an important differentiator for family firms and help to create a unique culture within the business, often driven by the founder and their vision and embedded into the business over time. They can also be an integral part of the long term sustainability and success of the business too. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic and now the prevailing economic climate and the need for more shorter term plans to respond to the challenges being faced, it is clear that values have been ingrained into the fabric of a family business have not only helped them survive but also thrive. In the Family Business United survey two years ago it was identified that 94% of respondents across the UK felt that their values played an important part in defining their family business strategy with 86% believing that their values helped in the day-to-day running of the business too. Add to the mix that 66% believe that values can help to increase revenues and profitability as well as driving growth, it is easy to see why it is more important than ever that values continue to have a prominent focus within family owned firms. As defined by Sorensen in 2014, a characteristic of a strong culture is having a strong set of values and family firms with a strong culture tend to be built around a set of strong core values with succeeding generations reinforcing and further developing the values that were established by the founders when the business was created. It is often the case that defined and shared values combined with an aligned and shared purpose and goals promotes unity and cohesion as well as entrepreneurship and innovation. Family firms by their very nature are rooted with purpose and core values such as integrity, quality, trust, passion, fairness and respect. These values can be extremely productive for the business when considered, documented and communicated throughout the organisation, and family business leaders themselves fully believe that clearly shared and communicated values can reduce the potential for conflicts to occur too. As part of the Family Business United 2022 Family Business Survey, we asked family businesses to share the values that they felt were present within their organisations. The core family business values in the UK were ranked in terms of their importance as follows: Integrity (81%) Quality (72%) Trust (71%) Passion (63%) Fairness (56%) Respect (52%) Social Responsibility (49%) Excellence (46%) Authenticity (45%) Innovation (44%) Long Term Perspective (44%) Forward Thinking (43%) Pride (42%) Entrepreneurship (40%) Community Involvement (34%) Values are important. They help define the very essence of each and every business. However, far from simply being a list of words, they become a powerful representation of the very essence of a family business when they are ‘lived and breathed’ within an organisation. Successful family firms embed their values within the business and share them widely to ensure that they are evident and permeate the business at all levels. They help differentiate family firms from their non-family counterparts too as they are personal, mean something special to each business and as they are anchored in the founders have a real and lasting legacy too. Of course family businesses evolve over time, as do the values and the influence of subsequent generations but they have foundations in the family, those that have shaped and continue to shape the business as it evolves and should never be underestimated either. "Clearly defined and embedded values help define each and every family business and help drive sustainability and long term success. Family firms may be living through uncertain times but a clear set of values can help guide them on their way."

FinTech Scotland proudly announces the launch of the Financial Regulation Innovation Lab (FRIL) - a dynamic initiative set to revolutionise and shape the future regulatory landscapes in the UK and around the globe. Championing the frontier of financial regulation and harnessing cutting-edge technologies, FRIL will help ignite employment creation and business opportunities, while also unlocking the potential of future talent. In partnership with the University of Strathclyde and University of Glasgow, FRIL will deliver a wide-ranging, ambitious research agenda, led by and actionable for the financial sector, to help advance understanding and adoption of new and emerging technologies. The Lab delivers one of the strategic recommendations laid out in the FinTech Research & Innovation Roadmap, launched in March 2022, and aligns with the recently announced UK innovation initiative, the Centre for Finance, Innovation and Technology (CFIT), formed in response to the HM Treasury FinTech Sector Review (otherwise known as the Kalifa Review). The Lab will engage participants in industry-led innovation challenge calls, integrate academic research with an industry-relevant agenda, design and implement a skills and education programme, and facilitate knowledge exchange through workshops, roundtables, conferences and trade missions. “FinTech Scotland is uniquely positioned within the Scottish fintech industry to lead such an initiative as it will work to inspire collaborators across Scotland, the UK and globally, enabling those around the world to see Glasgow's financial services capabilities,” said Nicola Anderson, CEO of FinTech Scotland. “Bringing the fintech community of industry, academics and regulators together to explore, test and experiment with new technologies is an important part of our mission.” Professor David Hillier, Associate Principal and Executive Dean of the University of Strathclyde Business School said, "The University of Strathclyde is delighted to partner with Fintech Scotland and the University of Glasgow to deliver this critical initiative. We have significant capabilities across the university in emerging technologies including AI, space and quantum, which we look forward to leveraging through FRIL. We look forward to continuing our work with industry, policy makers, regulators and innovative SME's to drive actionable solutions and deliver on FRILs ambitious agenda.” Professor Eleanor Shaw, Head of the Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow said, "The Adam Smith Business School is very pleased to be a founding partner alongside our colleagues in FinTech Scotland and the University of Strathclyde to deliver FRIL. The opportunity to transform the regulatory landscape is remarkable and we are excited to work with partners across all sectors to deliver a collaborative centre of excellence for cutting edge developments in financial regulation." Stephen Ingledew OBE, Chair of FinTech Scotland, explained, “Once more, FinTech Scotland is taking proactive measures to showcase the effectiveness of how a cluster approach can accelerate the UK’s ability to seize competitive advantage in the future of financial regulation and fintech innovation. FRIL will allow us to continue to endorse the opportunity from the fintech sector to support growth across the UK economy.” The research will cover various aspects of financial regulation, including the following areas: Explainable AI Applications for ESG Risk Management Simplifying ESG Regulation Compliance through Explainable Intelligent Automation Using Automation and AI to Combat Money Laundering Synthetic Data for Financial Regulation Innovation Generative AI for Improved ESG Reporting and Monitoring in Financial Services FRIL, which is specifically funded by the Glasgow City Region Innovation Accelerator programme (led by Innovate UK on behalf of UK Research and Innovation), will work with industry participants, including large established financial institutions, the Fintech community, academics, voluntary organisations and regulators across the UK. The first four industry-led Innovation Calls to be issued in conjunction with Lab will cover four topical areas: AI and compliance: Utilising emerging technologies to simplify compliance process and monitoring. Consumer Duty: Supporting consumer duty obligations and enhancing financial inclusion outcomes. Financial Crime: Addressing future challenges of financial crime. ESG: Meeting new regulatory requirements, leveraging new data and new technologies. Full details of these Innovation Calls will be published on FinTech Scotland’s website . Facilitating collaboration and knowledge exchange, FRIL’s output will include white papers, podcasts, newsletters, blogs and a series of events including roundtables, conferences and trade missions. The white papers in particular will cover academic and industry thinking, addressing key questions posed by the opportunity emerging technologies present for financial regulation. The topics of the white papers will be added to and revised on a regular basis ensuring it is Industry led and responsive to Industry needs. In its pursuit of researching the adoption of emerging technologies into financial services to build confidence in solutions and ultimately demonstrate their ability to meet regulatory standards worldwide, FRIL is committed to focusing on innovations and solutions that can effectively address some of the industry’s most pressing issues.