People on the move: Clarion Wealth Planning; World Leisure (UK); Ideal Carehomes; Arco; Storrs Hall

Cheshire-based wealth management specialist Clarion Wealth Planning has bolstered its team with the appointment of experienced financial planner Sam Petts.

Petts has more than 15 years’ experience in the financial planning industry, starting his career at Caroline Banks and Associates in Mayfair, London before joining Killik & Co where he worked for 12 years, most recently as a partner and head of office of its Richmond Branch.

At the Alderley Edge firm, Petts will offer integrated financial planning solutions to business owners across the North West, designed to help them plan for the future and achieve their desired lifestyles.

Clarion managing director Ron Walker said: “Sam’s in-depth knowledge of pensions, taxation and intergenerational planning, involving all members of a family in a plan, will serve to strengthen Clarion’s niche wealth planning services.

“His strong track record for building relationships with professional services partners will also be an asset to Clarion as we continue our successful expansion.”

Petts said: “I was attracted to Clarion’s comprehensive approach to financial planning. They help business owners achieve their long-term objectives by establishing key life goals to work towards.

“They create efficient solutions by addressing every aspect of the client’s lifestyle and I am looking forward to being part of the future development of the company.”

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Leyland, Lancashire-based World Leisure (UK) has appointed Andy Littler to the new role of wellness manager to launch a specialised wellbeing, steam and sauna division, operating throughout the UK.

World Leisure provides a complete range of design, technical and installation services for the water leisure industry.

Wellbeing, steam and sauna solutions have always been included in the company’s portfolio, but ever increasing demand has led to the launch of the new specialised division.

Littler has worked in the water leisure industry since 1997, when he attended the LIW (Leisure Industry Week) Show on the advice of a friend.

He said: “Even though I had only originally attended as a visitor, I ended up stepping in to build a show sauna with some borrowed tools from other tradesmen on site who were building other stands and displays, as the person commissioned to build the stand had walked off site due to a family emergency.

“Based on that, I was offered my first industry job by the stand owner and became their preferred fitter.  Shortly after, I formed my own company Eight Services, working for clients including Helo UK, Jarvis Hotels and Village Hotels, for the wellness and gym areas.

“As a fully qualified joiner, I have been a site agent and contracts manager on a wide variety of jobs.  I am also a qualified IT Technician and have experience in Audio Visual, which also comes in useful occasionally in the wellness arena.”

The new World Leisure Wellness division will work throughout the UK installing high quality climate-controlled environments and treatments rooms, including fully automatic rasul and serail mud treatments, Japanese salt steam rooms, Turkish hammams, and ice baths, for skin, respiratory and immune system health.

Littler said: “Wellness is generally used to mean a healthy balance of the mind, body and spirit that results in an overall feeling of well-being.

“As more people become interested in their holistic health, it has become a serious growth sector for the water leisure industry, so we’re really excited to be launching this specialised department from one of the sector’s leading companies.”

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Leeds-based Ideal Carehomes has announced the appointment of Paul Farmer as managing director.

The appointment follows continued strong performance of the North and Midlands based care provider.  Farmer will spend much of his time at the company’s North West homes, Liverpool, Flixton, Greater Manchester, Wigan and Stockport.

Having sold a significant proportion of its portfolio in 2015, Ideal Carehomes has consolidated its offering, concentrating on reinvestment in the built environment, staffing and activities to redesign their model to attract self-funding residents.

Securing sector-leading self-funded admissions of 75% in the last year, the operator is looking to expand its portfolio once again.

Ideal Carehomes is part of the LNT Group and is sister-company to care home builder, LNT Care Developments.

Matt Lowe, chief executive of LNT, said: “Paul’s appointment denotes an exciting milestone in Ideal Carehomes future.

“We are pleased to have his knowledge and experience to drive growth, whilst improving our already impressive business performance.  Building efficient care homes and delivering a quality care model is part of the LNT Group’s bread and butter.”

Farmer was previously managing director at St Philip’s Care where he was responsible for 28 care homes providing nursing, residential and mental health care in England and Scotland.

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Greater Manchester-based safety specialist Arco, one of the country’s largest family-owned businesses, has announced significant changes to its board in order to continue and support its ambitious plans for expansion.

Thomas Martin, who has led the business as joint managing director for more than 15 years, is stepping into the role of non-executive chairman.

Neil Jowsey, who has also been joint managing director alongside Martin since 2013, has been appointed as the organisation’s first ever CEO and sole business leader.

This is the first time in more than 110 years that the company has been led by a non-family member and these changes mark a historic shift in the business’s governance, aiming to ensure the organisation continues to thrive and that the third, fourth and fifth generations of the Martin family are fully engaged in the business.

Thomas will be supported by Tom and Stephen Martin as non executive directors, and by his cousin Richard Martin on the exec board.

Arco has sites in Trafford Park and Ashton-under-Lyne.

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Andrew Nicholson and Sarah Graham-Harrison, the experienced former heads of Linthwaite House Hotel in Windermere, have made the trip to the lake’s edge to join the team at Storrs Hall, part of the Bespoke Hotels collection.

They will undertake the roles of general manager and deputy general manager respectively, at the Grade II-listed Georgian property, which boasts 30 guest bedrooms, a boathouse, and a two AA Rosette-awarded restaurant, amidst 17 acres of spectacular landscaped grounds in the heart of the Lake District.

Nicholson and Graham-Harrison will lead the team as it looks to cement its reputation as one of the North West’s foremost destinations, having joined forces with Bespoke Hotels in 2016 and enjoyed substantial recent investment.

Nicholson comes from a culinary background, having begun life as a commis chef and learned his trade in kitchens across England, ultimately progressing to head chef at the distinguished Devonshire Arms, which was awarded hotel of the year by AA under his stewardship.

He subsequently made the move North West to manage Linthwaite House eight years ago, during which time he has overseen all aspects of the business.

“I am delighted to have joined the team at Storrs Hall”, he said. “It is a property of unrivalled beauty and potential within the North West, and I am relishing the chance to put my stamp on it.”

Alongside this, Sarah Graham-Harrison has worked in various management roles at hotels across the country prior to her tenure at Linthwaite House, including Yorkshire’s Devonshire Arms and The Chester Grosvenor, as well as the distinguished Holbeck Ghyll Country House Hotel in Cumbria.

“Having been appointed to oversee Storrs Hall last year, both the owners and ourselves were extremely keen to secure Andrew and Sarah’s services”, said Thomas Greenall, commercial director for Bespoke Hotels.

“Both are held in extremely high regard within the area, and rightly so, given their outstanding track records across the Lake District and beyond.”