North West business briefs: DWF; GMCA; Bee Network; RDS; Edge Hill University
DWF, the Manchester-based global provider of integrated legal and business services, has advised on a number of equity capital markets deals in the past week as heightened activity levels continue apace.
The growing UK-based team has advised on a broad range of newly announced deals, including advising Zeus Capital as nominated advisor and sole broker on the placing and AIM IPO of digital publisher, LBG Media, the owner of Manchester-based LADbible, which valued the viral content publisher at £360m.
The team also advised Zeus Capital on the £30m acquisition of Valley Wholesale Carpets and related placing and open offer by Likewise Group, the distributor of floorcoverings and mattings.
On both transactions, the DWF corporate team comprised partner and global head of corporate, Frank Shephard alongside senior associate solicitor Katy Philips and associate solicitor Ciara Healy.
Corporate partner, John Campion, alongside solicitor Jagdeep Lall, also advised client Zinnwald Lithium, the German-focused lithium development company, on its placing and retail offer, with £5.8m raised in the fundraising.
These latest deals follow the recent news that DWF has advised on more than £7bn of equity capital markets transactions in the past two years.
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Councillor Bev Craig
A new training programme aimed at tackling workforce skills challenges and hard-to-fill vacancies in the digital industry is being rolled out across Greater Manchester. Serco has launched its ‘Digital Careers Upskill Programme’ after being awarded a £4m contract by Greater Manchester Combined Authority as part of its three-year Skills for Growth programme, which aims to plug skills gaps identified by employers in the city region and is funded through the European Social Fund.
Delivered across two strands, the programme will focus on reskilling people working across a range of sectors to get into new digital roles as well as upskilling those already working in the digital, creative and tech industry so they can progress further. Following robust engagement with digital employers in the city region, a number of barriers were identified including a lack of diverse perspectives, skills and life experiences.
And, with women accounting for 18% of technical roles in the digital industry, the 22-month contract will target employed women across the city region to improve diversity and identify progression routes within the industry. The ageing population and low paid workers are two further cohorts being prioritised by the Digital Careers Upskill Programme and wider Skills for Growth project.
Cllr Bev Craig, Greater Manchester’s new portfolio holder for education skills, work, apprenticeships and digital, said: “We are home to the largest digital and creative cluster outside of London, but to continue our growth and reach our ambitions of becoming a world leading digital city region, we need to invest in our residents and support our businesses.”
Serco will work in partnership with five other providers across Greater Manchester including Readynez, Coders Guild, Apprentify, 3D 360 and Back to Work. All partners have individual specialisms and will support learners to gain technical skills in a number of fields including cyber security, 3D printing, UX, web development, cloud engineering and more.
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More than 10,000 miles have been clocked up by riders on Greater Manchester’s new Bee Network hire bikes in the first four weeks the scheme has been active. The scheme, which launched to the public on November 18, means hire bikes are now available from multiple stations along Oxford Road, at MediaCity and at the University of Salford – making cycling a real option for commuters, cross city travellers and students.
On average the scheme is seeing users collectively ride more than 270 miles per day, which peaked on November 19, when users of the scheme clocked 572 miles on the bikes. In total, 10,406 miles have collectively been ridden – as of 20/12/21 – enough to cycle to Australia, with more than 6,400 rides registered on the scheme and in excess of 2,800 people signed up.
Richard Nickson, cycling and walking programme director at TfGM, said: “I’m thrilled that so many miles have been ridden on Greater Manchester’s new hire bikes, especially with the cold and rainy weather we’ve had recently.
“Bee Network Cycle Hire provides easy, affordable access to bikes and plays a massive role our vision for an integrated, carbon neutral travel network – the Bee Network. It’s also really positive to see lots of repeat rides taking place – which demonstrates people are really taking to the scheme. I would like to thank everyone for braving the weather and making the most of the scheme. If you haven’t given the bikes a go yet, download the Beryl app and give them a try.”
Stations continue to be installed along Oxford Road with 250 bikes set to be available from January 2022, ahead of the scheme’s full launch in the summer.
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RDS Christmas gifts
Altrincham-based Research & Development Specialists (RDS), has delivered more than £2,000-worth of toys, games and presents for underprivileged children across Greater Manchester and Nottingham.
In Manchester, partnering with Manchester-based charity, Wood Street Mission, the local business provided gifts for those children in the care system, and those who may not have received any presents this year without donations from individuals and companies such as RDS. An expanding company, now in its fourth year, RDS has supported the Wood Street Mission’s annual appeal from its first year and, as it grows, will look to more than quadruple the donation next year.
Mark Joyner of RDS said: “Christmas is a joyous time of year for most, but it’s important to remember that not everyone looks forward to this time of year. It can be incredibly difficult for some families and children, especially for those within the care system. We believe every child should receive a gift at Christmas time, and every child should know that somebody is thinking about them.
“We’ve supplied toys to the Wood Street Mission for the past four years, as we grow, we hope to expand our support with the help from our customers. The charity does fantastic work throughout the year helping some of the region’s poorest families, so we’re extremely proud to support and partner with them.”
Anne, from Wood Street Mission, said: “This year, so many families are struggling, even more so than in previous years, making the support of our corporate partners, such as RDS, even more vital. These gifts mean the world to those who receive them and help us towards our mission to ensure that all children receive a present this Christmas, no matter what their background or current living situation.”
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Kirsti Grayson
A scale-up programme delivered by business experts at Ormskirk’s Edge Hill University has created hundreds of jobs for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Lancashire. The University’s SME Productivity and Innovation Centre (PIC) has helped 145 companies across the region to create more than 220 jobs to date.
Prof Simon Bolton, director of the SME PIC, said: “During an incredibly challenging period for the SME sector, our Innovation Sprint Programme has helped scores of businesses across Lancashire to emerge from the pandemic stronger. Our experts work closely with business leaders to identify their growth needs and the results of the programme speak for themselves, with more than 220 new roles created for employees in the region. We’re looking forward to continuing to build on this success to help maximise growth opportunities for SMEs in the region.”
The SME PIC’s Innovation Sprit Programme supports businesses in Lancashire and the Liverpool City Region to increase their competitiveness and resilience. On average, SMEs who complete the programme report a 29% increase in growth. The programme, part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, helps SMEs to develop a growth strategy to improve their processes, maximise the use of business technologies, and re-define internal structures, roles and responsibilities.
Debbie Francis, chair of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership, said: ”It’s great news to hear that the SME PIC’s Innovation Sprint Programme has helped so many SMEs increase their competitiveness and resilience in what has been a really challenging time. SMEs are the cornerstone of the Lancashire economy, and it is they who will be instrumental in enabling the county to realise its growth potential, both in terms of productivity and job creation.”
One Lancashire SME to benefit from the programme in 2021 is Colne-based cycling activities company Go Velo. The company offers a diverse range of courses, including cycling training, instructor training and a dedicated course for people with disabilities, as well as specialist equipment to ensure inclusive participation. Kirsti Grayson runs Go Velo and said: “The support from SME PIC has been incredible. The programme has resulted in the employment of 30 members of staff, five of who are now employed full time and permanent. In addition to the full time permanent employees, all previous subcontracted staff are now employed under worker contracts. The organisation has gone from strength to strength with our new instructor training arm exceeding targeted expectations.”
