Week Ending: Rob Cotton’s Downing Street date; Les Ross hits the road; Business Heavyweights Part II
IN a whirlwind 24 hours Rob Cotton, the boss of Manchester technology company NCC Group, found himself exploring both Downing Street and the hallowed northern cobbles of Coronation Street.
Attending a summit of business leaders at No 10 at the invitation of trade minister Lord Livingstone and Prime Minister David Cameron on Wednesday – where he couldn’t resist this selfie with a policeman – Cotton was back in Manchester for a 30th anniversary bash for recruitment firm Stark Brooks at the former location of the nation’s favourite soap opera.
He told Week Ending: “I have a hectic schedule, but it’s not every week that on one day you’re on Downing Street and the next on Coronation Street.”
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HE may be reaching the end of his career path, after more than 30 years with Grant Thornton, but Les Ross has made sure he crossed the finishing line with a bang, rather than a whimper.
Les, a veteran insolvency expert, who has run the firm’s North West office for the last two years, recently completed his first-ever London Marathon.
It was a family affair as he ran with his daughter Alison, who also works for the firm in Manchester was one of 35,864 competitors who started the race. Miss Ross finished in 4 hours 11 mins, and Les tackled the 26-mile course in 5 hours 45 minutes. Their endeavours raised £3,300 for Sense, a charity which helps deaf or blind people.
Les said: “It was a shade disappointing to be beaten by at least two rhinos, a man in telephone box, a Womble, a duck and a man carrying a fridge.
“There were also members of the armed forces carrying 25kg backpacks who got over the line ahead of me, but it is a real sense of achievement having finished. The support and noise in the last three miles or so in particular is genuinely inspiring when you need it most.”
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THERE’S been more fighting talk from members of Manchester’s business community who are planning to beat each other up in aid of charity in June.
‘Sugar’ Ray Stenton has posted a video reply to Pat ‘The Duke’ Loftus’ fired-up farm yard rant, and newcomer Mark ‘The Bomber’ Burgess, managing director of Capital Properties, has also entered the fray.
“I saw you chasing sheep,” says Stenton. “You can chase sheep all day. They don’t hit back. I will.”
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The Stenton/Loftus bout is the first in the Business Heavyweights series which is taking place at the Midland Hotel in aid of The Factory Youth Zone, in Harpurhey, Manchester.
The second will feature Andrew ‘The Giant’ Gardiner of TSG Commercial Property Consultants and Cowgill Holloway corporate finance director John ‘The Freak’ Fowler.
Mark ‘The Bomber’ Burgess’ opponent has not been revealed yet, but in the video he assures us, “I’m the number one contender in this city, I’ll take on all-comers. In fact I want to fight you all on the same night.”
For ticket info email info@businessheavyweights.com .
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