North West business briefs: Warrington Council; Novus; Twisted Loom; Poundland; Social Republic; Ringley Group

Drivers in Warrington will have better access to electric vehicle chargepoints, after being awarded £1.16m through a new pilot backed by £20m of government and industry funding. The Warrington funding comprises £700,000 from the Government and £460,000 from private industry.

Through the innovative Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) pilot scheme, Warrington Council and industry will work together to create new, commercial EV charging infrastructure for residents, from on-street chargepoints to larger petrol station-style charging hubs. The roll-out supports the Government’s drive to encourage more motorists to go electric, which can save drivers money on fuel and running costs, and improve air quality as the country moves towards net zero.

The scheme will help residents without private driveways to have better access to EV chargers, as well as growing the charging network across the country, supporting the nation’s uptake of zero emission vehicles and enabling more people to drive and charge without fear of being caught short, no matter where they are.

Decarbonisation Minister, Trudy Harrison, said: “We want to expand and grow our network of EV chargepoints, working closely with industry and local government, making it even easier for those without driveways to charge their electric vehicles and support the switch to cleaner travel. This scheme will help to level up electric vehicle infrastructure across the country, so that everyone can benefit from healthier neighbourhoods and cleaner air.”

Edmund King, AA president, said: “It is essential that more on-street chargers are delivered to boost the transition to zero emission vehicles for those without home charging. This injection of an extra £20m funding will help bring power to electric drivers across England from Durham to Dorset. This is one further positive step on the road to electrification.”

The scheme will allow local authorities to provide feedback on how to grow the network and the role the private sector can play.

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National maintenance and compliance contractor, Novus Property Solutions, has further expanded its presence in the North West with a series of contract wins within both the healthcare and housing sectors. The latest contract wins amount to approximately £4.9m.

The largest of the new contracts is set to begin in October of this year on Cobbett House at the Central Manchester Hospital. Having worked on this site previously, Novus will be installing a new floor for the hospital through several works including new electrical and mechanical installation, as well as new facilities such as toilets and wet rooms.

Also within the Greater Manchester area, Novus continues to build on its long standing relationship with Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust with a significant contract for Greater Manchester Mental Health’s assessment centre. The contractor will carry out a full refurbishment of the centre, which provides services for people living in the borough of Bolton. Novus will complete the construction of a single storey ground floor unit, including reconfigurations around the existing emergency department, to form access into the extension.

In the housing sector, Novus has recently been awarded a contract to provide door replacement works on social housing properties for Trafford Housing Trust (THT). The contract will see Novus refit 409 doors across 210 properties within seven different postcode areas from late August.

The maintenance and compliance contractor has also been awarded contracts for Your Housing Group, Great Places Housing Group and North Manchester General Hospital – all within the North West region.

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Charlotte Cochrane

The boss of handcrafted furniture and homeware business, Twisted Loom, has switched from posting on social media to posting through letterboxes in a bid to spread the word about her venture.

Charlotte Cochrane, who set up her business during lockdown 2020, said: “It’s so difficult to get anywhere on social media these days, it’s a massive effort with very little return. We’re constantly told ‘must post daily’, ‘must engage with people’, ‘beat the algorithm’ blah blah blah … I’ve been plugging away on social media for a couple of years and have seen engagement drop as my efforts go up. My whole business model is based on the quality of the product and how everything is handcrafted locally, so why not let people see and feel what you’ve made?”

Charlotte decided on some old fashioned marketing and recently walked around her local community in South Manchester and Cheshire to give out brochures and show off her products.

She posted brochures through letterboxes and literally stopped people on the street to ask them what they think of her products. She said: “I’ve had a great response and everyone has been really positive and said they love my approach to marketing.”

Charlotte’s products are designed in her Manchester studio and are handcrafted using the highest quality and most sustainable materials she can locally source. She designs and makes ottomans, lamps, lampshades and cushions.

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Retailer Poundland will open a new store in St Helens, this Saturday (August 27), at Unit 4 Ravenhead Retail Park.

At around 8,000 sq ft, it has been designed to offer the widest product range possible and to give customers a great shopping experience. It will employ 15 full- and part-time colleagues.

The investment in the new store – previously occupied by Carpetright – marks a vote of confidence in St Helens, said the company, and the new store will complement the existing store at the Lagrange Arcade

Poundland director of retail, Darren Kay, said: “Our colleagues are working hard to make sure that the new St Helens store will show off Poundland at its best and be one the town can be proud of.”

The new store will complement Poundland’s existing network of stores in the region including Widnes, Kirkby, Leigh, Skelmersdale, Runcorn and Warrington. St Helens Ravenhead is one of up to 25 new stores and relocations planned by the end of the year.

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Rob Illidge

American charity, The Hotel for Homeless Dogs, has commissioned Manchester social media agency, Social Republic, as it pushes for growth to expand facilities by raising $1.5m.

Social Republic will develop a bespoke social media strategy and look to improve engagement with new and existing audiences across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. The Hotel For Homeless Dogs is a humane centre based in Rhode Island, USA, saving dogs and cats from high-kill shelters, while changing the perception of animal welfare to one of positivity and beauty.

The hotel aims to rehome animals into positive and loving home environments. Completely reliant on donations, the hotel is looking to raise $1.5m to move into a new facility that will increase the number of animals it can save and re-home. Susan Joseph, executive director at Hotel For Homeless Dogs, said: “Our priority is a fundraising campaign that will allow us to develop a new home for dogs and cats across the United States. Improving the state of animal welfare is a challenge, but with the help of Social Republic and their innovative social media ideas, together we can turn it into a reality.”

CEO of Social Republic, Rob Illidge, said: “Our partnership with the Hotel For Homeless Dogs represents a game-changing moment for animal welfare in the United States. We will be utilising this opportunity to develop a unique fundraising strategy whilst increasing the quality and quantity of social media content. As a team of animal lovers and creators of purpose-led campaigns, we can’t wait to get started.”

Social Republic has established itself as a leading agency for non-profit organisations, working with the NHS, British Red Cross, Melanoma UK and Gina Bachauer International Piano Foundation in the United States.

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Mary-Anne Bowring

The Manchester-based Ringley Group has announced its third staff financial support measure in five months, and called on the property industry to consider implementing its own initiatives as the cost of living crisis increases.

Ringley, which employs 115 staff across offices in Manchester, London and Cardiff, has issued a series of one-off payments and pay rises since April – the latest being a £750 winter fuel payment. This follows a commitment in June to a 10% pay rise for all staff between now and 2025, while an immediate three per cent pay rise was announced in April for staff who had been with the business for more than three years.

Group Managing Director, Mary-Anne Bowring, has urged the property industry to implement its own packages as employees face unprecedented inflationary pressures. It was announced this month that inflation has reached a 40-year high of 10.1% as energy, fuel and food prices spiral. She said: “As providers of the basic uman right to shelter, the property industry needs to be acutely aware of its social responsibilities to the public. This obligation must extend to, and include, consumers and employees.

“This is especially critical during times of insecurity, as finances become stretched, morale takes a hit, and emotional wellbeing is under threat.”

She added: “It goes without saying that the financial performances of businesses must be taken into account, but we urge those in our industry to discover efficiencies where they can and do what is viable – that could be in areas such as childcare, career development, or travel, for example. To borrow the tagline of a well-known supermarket, every little helps.”