North West business briefs: City of Champions; Aptus Utilities; Liverpool LEP; Rathbone Brothers; RVA Surveyors

Manchester’s most inspirational sporting and cultural icons have been recognised and celebrated at a star-studded City of Champions gala fundraising event at Bull and Bear, within the city’s Stock Exchange Hotel.

The City of Champions gala dinner is an annual event organised by The Diane Modahl Sports Foundation, acknowledging the success of local people in the areas of sport, education and business, and especially those who are inspiring the next generation of champions.

Returning to Manchester’s bustling events schedule after an enforced break in 2020, the event once more welcomed two of the city’s most influential and successful sporting and business stars into the City of Champions Hall of Fame. Previous inductees have included British boxing legend Ricky Hatton, and former England women’s football captain Stephanie Houghton.

Ex-Manchester United and England footballer, broadcaster, and serial entrepreneur Gary Neville was one of two inductees into the City of Champions Hall of Fame. Gary and his Class of 92 peers have invested heavily into sports and leisure across Manchester, launching Salford City FC and Foundation 92 to inspire Greater Mancunians of all backgrounds and ages to achieve through sport.

Dr Marilyn Comrie is an award-winning serial social entrepreneur, green tech innovator, STEM ambassador and the principal founder of the Black United Representation Network (BURN), which exists to tackle racial inequalities in Greater Manchester. Dr Marilyn has earned a reputation as a transformational leader, influencer and powerhouse for change.

The City of Champions B Inspired Award was founded by British rapper Bugzy Malone, the first grime artist in the genre from Manchester to commercially succeed in the UK, recognising unsung heroes who have made an impact or contribution to the development of expressive art. Last year’s award went to James Keegan, lead dancer in Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance and a former world champion, who continues to inspire a new generation of performance artists. This year’s B Inspired Award was awarded to Manchester rapper Aitch, whose breakthrough single “Straight Rhymez” has garnered more than 24 million views online and brought him to the attention of celebrated London rapper Stormzy. Aitch appeared virtually at the event, with former British and WBA super-bantamweight champion Scott Quigg accepting the award on the night.

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Three of the five apprentices: Ethan Goulding, Connah Trevelyan and Adam Procter

Five young men from the North West are celebrating after passing their apprenticeship with Aptus Utilities and achieving some of the highest marks in the UK. All secured distinctions and are heading to London for the premier of the new James Bond movie as a reward for their success.

Described as a ‘stellar’ cohort, each has been offered a permanent contract of employment with Aptus, which installs the critical infrastructure that provides water, gas and electricity to new-build residential and commercial property developments. Its clients include national housebuilders and regional builders of all sizes.

The award-winning two-year apprenticeship scheme was devised by Bolton-based Aptus in 2015 to help tackle a severe skills shortage in the construction industry. Combining on-the-job training and classroom learning, delivered by further education college Utility & Construction Training, it leads to nationally recognised qualifications.

Newly-qualified apprentice Connah Trevelyan (18) said: “I’m really buzzing. All the hard work I’ve put in has paid off. Learning and getting paid as you go is great. I’ve really enjoyed learning new things, not just about work but life as well. It’s hard at the start but really worth sticking with.”

Aptus managing director, Lisa Kerford, said: “Our sector is facing a severe skills shortage so we decided to address this head-on by creating our very own apprenticeship scheme. Basically, we’re growing our own talent. We are big believers in apprenticeships and so far, have had over 40 young people train and qualify across a range of courses. They have gone on to enjoy careers as project managers, estimators, health and safety advisers, design engineers, electric jointers, gas engineers, warehouse operatives and business administrators. It’s so satisfying to see apprentices who’ve qualified in previous years now buddying up and helping the new starters in our latest intake.”

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The Planet Mark zero carbon, fully electric ‘Battle Bus’ is heading to the Floral Pavilion Theatre, New Brighton this Friday, October 1, to offer practical net zero advice to businesses across the city region.

This flagship free event will celebrate local efforts to create greener and fairer communities in Liverpool City Region and explore the ways in which everyone can make a difference when it comes to climate change.

Hosted by the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), businesses will have the opportunity to find out more about why achieving net zero carbon is so important, as well as hearing about the importance the role SMEs will play in achieving the North West’s ambitions to become the UK’s first carbon neutral region.

Speakers on the day include Farm Urban, End Furniture Poverty and FRC Group, the Zero Carbon Research Institute, and Energy Projects Plus, among others.

Mark Basnett, LEP managing director, said: “We’re thrilled to be supporting Planet Mark’s Zero Carbon Tour as part of COP26 – from small business creating innovative technologies to grassroots community projects making a difference, all have a role in helping cut our carbon emissions. Here in Liverpool City Region, we are well placed both geographically and geologically to have an effective impact on our environment and I’m delighted that so many of our local businesses will be in attendance to share ideas and showcase greener and more sustainable solutions to achieving net zero. These businesses are already on the carbon zero journey and I would encourage businesses to join us at the Floral Pavilion to hear about what’s being done locally to slash carbon emissions and improve lives.”

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Will Roberts

A local finance professional has launched an inspirational campaign to raise much needed funds for The Hive Youth Zone on The Wirral.

Will Roberts, who is an investment director at the Liverpool office of wealth management group Rathbone Brothers got involved with The Hive following a tour of the multi-award winning centre earlier this year. The ground breaking charity, which is based at the impressive purpose-built centre in the heart of Birkenhead, provides activities and experiences for young people from across the Wirral – 84% of members live outside of Birkenhead and Tranmere.

Since opening in 2017 the Youth Zone has had more than half a million visits from members age eight to 19 (up to age 25 for young people with a disability) and has raised aspirations, improved health and wellbeing, enhanced prospects and increased the confidence and self-esteem of literally thousands of young people.

Will, said he was “blown away” when he realised the extent of the vital work and unique services delivered by the charity, which offers young people across the Wirral “somewhere to go, something to do and someone to talk to” from their purpose-built centre in Birkenhead.

Will, along with support from the fundraising team at The Hive, has launched a revolutionary, collaborative campaign called ‘Hive 100’, which is designed to encourage 100 local organisations and businesses to work together, get involved and pledge just £1,000 each to help reach their £100,000 target. He said: “I literally used to drive past The Hive every day on my way into work. Like many people I thought the centre was a youth club and I had no idea about the incredible work the team do. I have a young daughter so when I heard about the circumstances of some of the young people the Hive supports, I knew I had to help.”

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RVA mental health first-aiders

Denton-based business rates reduction specialists, RVA Surveyors, has embarked on a new drive to safeguard its employees’ mental health by investing in a team of four in-house Mental Health First Aiders to support workplace wellbeing. The training initiative forms a key part of RVAs new mental health strategy, through which the business has committed to enhance its support for employees’ mental health and empower its growing team to support colleagues.

The training is enabling the business to raise awareness of mental health, help the team understand and manage wellbeing and promote a mentally healthier workplace.

The initiative will be supported by Health Assured and their employee assistance programme, which is the only Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) provider to be British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) accredited at an organisational level. Under the Health Assured network of 1,650 counsellors and psychologists, RVA Surveyors will be able to offer employees access to a 24/7 confidential telephone helpline, an online wellbeing portal and app.

The move closely follows an announcement by RVA Surveyors that it intends to triple its workforce within the next 12 months, which will see the appointment of both office-based and field-based staff.

Managing director, Anthony Hughes, said: “I am proud to say that at RVA Surveyors we have always fostered an incredibly supportive culture, one in which we look out for each other and support one another, particularly throughout the challenges of the past 18 months. Nevertheless, mental wellbeing is not something we can or should take for granted. As we continue to grow our business we are putting in place a new mental health strategy to ensure that we keep our team’s wellbeing front and centre for all, including those we see regularly in the office and those we see less frequently due to remote working.”