In Brief: Firms show they Love MCR; Hill Dicks in Top Gear; MHA germ-free lighting wins NHS contracts
THE ‘I Love MCR’ campaign that has united the city in civic pride following the UK-wide disturbances earlier this month will reach new heights this Friday as Manchester celebrates ‘We Love MCR day’.
The popularity of the campaign, which has the support of over 11,500 people on Facebook, has resulted in widespread use of the ‘I Love MCR’ branding.
Exchange Square will be the focus of the ‘We Love MCR day’ activity, with performances taking place on stage from 4pm – 6pm, including the Reclaim group performing their Manchester song and a local steel band.
Three local businesses have come together to provide free afternoon tea treats – Hey Little Cupcake are providing free mini ‘I Love MCR‘ cupcakes and scones, Clippy’s Apples will be providing jam for the scones, which can all be washed down with some Charbrew Tea. There will also be stalls with more giveaways, activities and information, along with places to sit back and enjoy the atmosphere.
Andrew Stokes, chief executive of Marketing Manchester, said: “We have been overwhelmed by the city’s response to the campaign. Mancunians are rightly proud of their city and ‘We Love MCR day’ will be our way to show the rest of the UK and the wider-world what real Mancunians are made of.”
The single-biggest use of the ‘I Love MCR’ logo will be unveiled on Thursday by The Co-operative which has chosen to dress the side of its CIS Tower headquarters.
Peter Marks, group chief executive of The Co-operative, said “We were all shocked to see the disgraceful scenes of rioting and violence but the way everyone has rallied behind the “I Love MCR” campaign is testimony to the real spirit of Manchester. We wanted everyone to know that we are backing the campaign and what better way to do it than erecting a poster that everyone can see for miles around.”
Other organisations that have announced their support for ‘We Love MCR day’ include: Frog & Bucket – which has pulled together a special Manchester comedy line-up; Bruntwood – which is dressing many of its buildings (as well as their staff!) with ‘I Love MCR’ branding; Manchester City and Manchester United – who have both worn ‘I Love MCR’ T-shirts in training; and Manchester Pride – who will be handing out ‘I Love MCR’ flags during the Manchester Pride Parade on Saturday.
Mancunians are being urged to help the group reach 20,000 supporters by Friday 26th by encouraging their friends and family to sign-up to the campaign. Profits from the sale of ‘I Love MCR’ T-shirts will be donated to Forever Manchester and Reclaim.
::
HILL Dickinson’s first iPhone and Android app has attracted the attention of Top Gear magazine, featuring as an ‘App of the Month’ in the September edition.
Launched out of the firm’s Liverpool-based headquarters, the Speeding Calculator app is free to use and provides bespoke advice to drivers who think they may be facing a speeding offence.
The app instantly generates an outline of likely penalties, offers background screens of more detailed explanations at every stage for those who want to know why, and provides contact details if specific legal advice or representation is needed.
Derek Millard-Smith, an expert regulatory lawyer based at Hill Dickinson’s Liverpool offices who wrote the app content, said: “Our app is the most comprehensive of its kind and enables users to immediately access free legal advice.”
::
LED specialist MHA Lighting has won numerous lighting refurbishment contracts with the NHS and private sector, for sealed lighting units, which it says help in the fight to reduce hospital infection rates.
The Manchester-based lighting specialist’s LED technology has been designed as a fully sealed unit to stop dust, bacteria and dead insects from gathering around warm light fittings and spreading deadly superbugs.
The LED’s 60,000 hour life span (seven years) also eradicates the needs for routine maintenance and bulb replacement which again stops harmful bacteria from being distributed into the atmosphere.
Tom Harrison, managing director of MHA Lighting, said: “Not only is the NHS saving money on operational costs for routine light maintenance, but our LED’s burn 20% of the energy of traditional fluorescents.
“At a time when the Government has set the NHS tough targets to reduce CO2 emissions, more energy efficient lighting is paramount in saving money and reducing a Trust’s carbon footprint.”
“Trusts are always seeking ways to free up money for clinical care and the battle against superbugs is continuous.”
::
MANCHESTER-based architect, Fletcher-Rae has created a new masterplan to convert the 64-acre former Lottery-funded ‘Earth Centre’ site in Doncaster into a holiday camp for education specialist Kingswood.
The firm has prepared design proposals for a range of buildings across the site, which have just received planning approval.
Formerly part of a major regeneration initiative in the town, the visitor attraction/centre closed in 2004 and has been empty since that time.
Kingswood, which specialises in providing outdoor, activity-based education courses for schools and colleges, plans to convert the site into a new bespoke activity facility, catering for 840 students plus approximately 100 on-site staff. 
The new site will be called ‘Kingswood Centre Dearne Valley’.
Fletcher-Rae said that it hopes to begin Phase 1 works in September 2011, with the first guests scheduled to arrive in March 2012.
Andrew Rae, joint managing director at Fletcher-Rae, said: “This is an exciting and somewhat unusual project as it brings together a number of different activities and functions from educational facilities, student accommodation, catering and ancillary uses.
“Fletcher-Rae is extremely pleased to have been appointed on the scheme and we look forward to starting on site in the near future.”
