North West business briefs: Piccadilly Station; Thornton & Lowe; UrbanChain; Alcidion; Foundation 92

Network Rail has warned commuters at Manchester’s Piccadilly rail station that work will start on Monday, January 31, 2022, on lift access to platforms 13 and 14, and will continue until Monday May 16, 2022.

Between these dates, the lift will be out of use, however step free access to platforms 13 and 14 will be available via a new stairlift fitted to the staircase on platform 14. Throughout the work staff will be on hand at the station to assist all passengers who need help getting to and from platforms 13 and 14.

Platforms 13 and 14 allow up to 14 trains per hour to briefly stop and then run straight through to Manchester Airport, Liverpool, North Wales, Wigan, Southport, Bolton, Blackpool, the Lakes, the North East and Scotland.

Passengers who need step-free access or assistance with luggage are recommended to allow extra time for their journeys and where possible, book assisted travel in advance with their train operator. Alternatively, tickets will be valid for passengers to travel via the nearest step-free stations while the essential lift upgrade is taking place.

Scott Green, Network Rail head of stations and passenger experience in the North West, said: “This investment into the lift at Manchester Piccadilly station will greatly improve reliability for passengers. We understand the upgrade will be disruptive for people and we are working closely with our train operator colleagues to make everyone’s journey as easy as it can be during the work. I’d urge anyone planning to travel via platforms 13 or 14 during the 15-week project to allow extra time for their journey and to plan ahead.”

Stephen Brookes, rail policy adviser for Disability Rights UK, said: “Disabled people have worked closely with Network Rail in advising on and seeking to minimise the impact of the closure of the lift facility at platforms 13/14 at Manchester Piccadilly station. We do recommend that disabled people share the news and information where possible. It is important that we all take extra time to arrive early at the station so that we can use the fully staffed replacement stairlift facility provided in a timely way.”

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David Thornton

A Bolton-based business consultancy has doubled its workforce and seen its client base grow after embracing new technologies and innovation strategies. Thornton & Lowe has been helping businesses with their contract and tender writing processes since 2009 and has seen significant growth in both turnover and staff numbers in recent years. The company has taken on 15 new members of staff in the past two years alone, doubling its workforce.

Director, David Thornton, said: “It’s good to help companies to secure some major contracts. The businesses we work with have experienced real growth and opportunities because of our advice and it’s fair to say that our growth is nothing compared to that of our clients.

“The industry is growing and there’s more tenders out there than ever before. More private companies are using these processes as well. We have developed tender library software that has been well received by a number of large organisations like the NHS Trusts, SSE and national charities.”

The firm’s software allows the organisations that make regular bids to keep track of the information and resources they might require with minimal disruption.

By the end of next year, Thornton is anticipating the workforce growing to 40 people and establishing new opportunities. The business has also signed up to the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter, enacting working practices to help keep staff feel valued and happy.

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Dr Somayeh Taheri

UrbanChain’s alternative energy market just for renewables has welcomed a housing association into it for the first time. The Manchester-based technology company will onboard 500 Together Housing Association (THA) homes into its market – named the peer-to-peer (P2P) exchange – which enables buyers and sellers of truly green energy to transact safely and with total transparency.

Since launching in 2017 UrbanChain has attracted multiple organisations from the public and private sectors into its green energy exchange model, but this is the first time a housing association has joined.

It follows a successful £2m pilot programme – jointly funded by European Regional Development Fund and Halifax-based Together Housing Association – which resulted in 250 homes being fitted with a solar PV and battery storage system in 2019.

Dr Somayeh Taheri, CEO of UrbanChain, says its P2P exchange model enables consumers to place an exact order for electricity and for generators to meet that order: “Housing Associations are in the best place to help our objective of alleviating fuel poverty so we are delighted to be working with THA and to also provide innovative services for those who need it first.”

Patrick Berry, director, Together Net Zero, said: “We have ambitious plans at Together Housing to install solar PV and battery systems on our homes. Working with UrbanChain in the P2P market provides an exciting opportunity to reduce power costs for our tenants while also securing a sustainable income from our renewable assets.”

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Alcidion, a global provider of the Electronic Patient Record (EPR) platform Miya Precision and which has a Burnley operation, has acquired Newcastle-based Silverlink PCS Software, for an undisclosed sum.

The acquisition provides Alcidion with Patient Administration System (PAS) capabilities to complement its existing clinical capabilities in Miya Precision and represents a significant statement of intent in the EPR sector. The combination of the two products alongside their network of partners will give Alcidion the capabilities to deliver a cloud-native, modern and modular Electronic Patient Record (EPR/EMR) system to the NHS.

NHSX has outlined that EPR systems are the building blocks of good digital healthcare. Alcidion will now be a key player in positively improving what is available to NHS trusts, helping individual providers and Integrated Care Systems (ICS) improve their digital maturity.

Kate Quirke, Alcidion group managing director, said: “This acquisition is very exciting and aligns with our overall intention to enhance the services we can offer the NHS. We welcome the Silverlink team who, together with our own senior leadership team, have decades of product development and implementation experience in PAS. These skills and experience make this partnership a perfect fit.”

Lynette Ousby, UK managing director, said: “We are excited to bring on board the experience and technology of the Silverlink team, which complements the work we have been doing at Alcidion with our Miya Precision platform. We believe that, together, we have a modern and compelling solution that delivers something different to the NHS.”

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Salford-based charity Foundation 92 will has launched its #F92DecembertoRemember holiday campaign alongside several partners across Greater Manchester. The charity will deliver 248 hours of holiday activities for the region’s community over the Christmas period as well as a Christmas present drop with support from Salford City Football Club players.

Foundation 92 is aiming to deliver more than 1,500 presents during the week leading up to Christmas Day, supporting the most vulnerable in the community with its #F92DecembertoRemember campaign.

With funding from The Department of Education the holiday activity clubs will be running from 20-27 December in Salford, Little Hulton, Trafford, Bury and Hulme and will include an array of activities including arts, crafts, multi sports, music while providing hot meals for all those that attend to tackle the ‘holiday hunger’ issue facing millions of families.

The activity programme is aimed at 7-16-year-olds in the most vulnerable areas of the region, supporting more than 1,880 visits across the festive period. Head of Foundation 92, Tom Hutton, said: “Following the success of previous Christmas campaigns we are really pleased to be able to support local communities again this year after what has been a very challenging past 18 months for everyone. It is fantastic to see so many businesses alongside the council working together to support local communities in Greater Manchester.”

Foundation 92’s partners on this project include Salford Community Leisure, Salford Red Devils Foundation, Salford City FC, Trafford Council, Life Centre, Salford City Council, Manchester City Council, Bury Council, Life Lodge, Little Hulton Big Local, Co-op Academy Walkden, The Lowry Theatre, The Lowry Academy and Recreate U.

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