NW business briefs: Plus Dane; Forever Manchester; Pareto Financial Planning; AJ Bell; Electricity North West; Derian House
Plus Dane Housing, in partnership with Mayor Steve Rotheram and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, is investing nearly £10m in its retrofit programme over the next two years.
The housing association recently received £4.5m, which was secured by Mayor Rotheram as part of the second wave of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund allocated to the Liverpool City Region. Plus Dane will further co-fund the programme with more than £5m towards its efforts to meet net zero targets.
Plus Dane’s assets team has started to allocate the funding to projects across Merseyside, identifying its energy inefficient properties and investigating a range of solutions. Previous retrofit projects have included extensive cavity, external wall and roof insulation and pilot scheme installation of a ground source heat pump at a development in Wirral.
Barry Callow, director of repairs at Plus Dane, said: “Funding from the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund is really making a difference to what we can achieve when looking to retrofit our homes, and we are grateful to the combined authority for helping us to do more with our money.”
Work is likely to begin in the autumn.
Plus Dane previously received £1m from the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund’s first wave, again allocated through the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. Mayor Rotheram has ramped up his retrofit programme after securing a further £42m from the Government to take the region’s total retrofit fund to £105m, which will be used to help 10,000 low-income homes save money on their energy bills.
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The Forever Manchester charity has launched two new digital inclusion funds to tackle digital exclusion across the city, with the support of telecoms infrastructure provider, Cellnex UK, and organisations have been urged to apply soon, with the deadline for the second award on August 18.
Applications are now open for the Cellnex UK Digital Inclusion funds, which will grant up to £5,500 to community groups to support the development of new digital inclusion projects or activities in their local area. Both funds focus on three main themes that align with the Greater Manchester Digital Inclusion Strategy. This includes empowering communities and places, increasing confidence, skills and motivation, and affordability, accessibility and connectivity.
The first fund will provide up to £500 to a group of local residents, or a constituted community group with an income of £2,500 or less, while the second will award up to £5,000 to encourage and support grassroots community organisations. Small, community-based and locally controlled groups that manage themselves can apply, and applicants must have an annual income of less than £150,000.
Nick Massey CEO of Forever Manchester, said: ‘‘In the second decade of the 21st century, online connectivity is an absolute necessity, allowing people to access basic human services, such as healthcare and education. A lack of digital access and skills can have a huge negative impact on a person’s life, including increased loneliness and social isolation, and reduced access to jobs. This partnership will provide funding for community groups across Greater Manchester whose projects focus on tackling digital inclusion.”
Claire Cranton, head of ESG at Cellnex U, said: “Digital inclusion is essential for creating a more equitable society where everyone has the opportunity to thrive in the increasingly connected world. Local groups understand how they can work best to promote digital inclusion in their communities. We hope the Digital Inclusion Fund will give communities the chance to fund projects that allow them to develop their skills and improve the opportunities available to them going forward.”
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Stuart Carswell
Manchester’s Pareto Financial Planning has signed a strategic partnership with KBS Corporate, the Bolton-based sales advisor, to offer clients a comprehensive financial planning and advisory service that will guide them through the process of selling their business.
The partnership will combine Pareto’s pre-sale and post-sales financial planning with KBS’s extensive knowledge and understanding of the value of a business to ensure clients are protected in the short and long term. KBS has a growing team of more than 175 staff with expertise built up over decades of experience working within M&A across the UK.
Stuart Carswell, director at Pareto Financial Planning, said: “This alliance allows us to combine our strengths and leverage our collective knowledge to empower clients with comprehensive financial planning and advisory services. We assist business owners pre- and post-sale to ensure they and their families are protected and have sufficient income to maintain their standard of living for the future.”
Peter Kelly, KBS operations director, said: “As our trusted wealth management partner, Pareto can provide both pre-sale and post-sale financial planning. KBS has a great appreciation of the value its clients’ businesses hold and, with Pareto’s support, we can deliver the best possible solution.
“Additionally, Pareto’s post-transaction services will ensure the deals we secure for our clients enable a stress-free financial future by fully evaluating how the sale will benefit their interests and estate.”
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AJ Bell apprentice cohort
The first cohort of Manchester-based investment platform AJ Bell’s digital apprentices have graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) with a BSc degree in Digital and Technology Solutions, as they completed their Digital Apprenticeship schemes with the Manchester-based FTSE 250 company.
Rob Mann, Julia Domanska, Oliver Howard and Kiera Lynchey each achieved either a Distinction (First) or Merit (2:1) as their hard work was recognised at a ceremony presented by MMU’s Chancellor, Lord Mandelson, held in the Bridgewater Hall.
Their apprenticeship journeys began back in September 2019, followed by four years of integrated work across AJ Bell’s Technology and Data teams, where they gained valuable experience alongside their degree work with MMU as part of AJ Bell’s apprenticeship programme. They will now embark on their next steps in their careers at AJ Bell.
Last year saw the largest intake in the apprenticeship scheme, with a total of 22 apprentices joining the business, including nine as part of the Digital Apprenticeship scheme. This year’s cohort is set to start in September 2023, and will be the biggest group of learners joining the company to date. Applications for AJ Bell’s 2024 apprenticeship scheme will open in the autumn.
Chief technology officer at AJ Bell, Mohamed Tagari, said: “The journey this group have been on was filled with learning and growth, both personally and professionally, and I have seen their transformation into skilled professionals. The diligence, self-motivation, and extraordinary commitment they’ve demonstrated throughout their apprenticeship have indeed paid off. I am immensely proud and thrilled to have seen their results and look forward to seeing them have long and successful careers here.”
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Pracious Nkume with Thomas Sims and Amy Jones
Electricity North West, the Stockport-based power network operator for the North West, has welcomed its first intern from a programme designed to offer paid work experience to black graduates.
Pracious Nkume joined Electricity North West last month as part of the 10,000 Black Intern programme. The programme launched back in 2020 and seeks to offer 2,000 internships each year for five consecutive years. Electricity North West committed to the programme earlier this year as it continues to build diversity across the business.
Rachael Parr, Electricity North West’s people and corporate services director, said: “Across the UK the utilities industry lags behind other sectors in terms of diversity and needs to do more. As a business we always want to do better and that’s why we’ve set ambitious targets to improve diversity over the next five years. The 10,000 Black Intern programme is an excellent initiative of which we’re proud to be a part of and we plan to take on more interns through the programme in the future.”
Pracious joined Electricity North West’s accommodation team, which oversees the running of the depots and offices across the region. She has helped carry out energy audits, lighting and energy consumption trends reviews, while she has also been a part of group vulnerability group engagement. Pracious said: “The idea of gaining experience within the industry really excited me and I was delighted to be given an opportunity to learn with a hands-on approach.
“Before joining, I didn’t realise how big Electricity North West were and how many differing roles they have across the business. I’ve managed to gain experience in a range of different topics including contributing to the huge renovation at the Preston site. The 10,000 Black Intern programme holds significant value and has been great at actively promoting diversity and inclusion.”
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Filming the documentary
League of Gentlemen creator, Steve Pemberton, of Inside No. 9 and Benidorm TV fame, has declared his support for a documentary that will shine a light on the world of North West children’s hospice, Derian House.
Steve, who is an ambassador for the charity and grew up in Chorley, will support the feature-length film titled ‘The Little Things’, which will cast a light on the special moments that occur within the hospice. Behind the project is bereaved dad, Paul Woodward, 36, who was inspired by the support he and his family received from Derian House Children’s Hospice during the short life of his son, Kalel.
Steve said: “I think it’s incredible that Paul, a parent who has fully experienced what a hospice does, is looking to break down barriers around what hospice care is about. I grew up in Chorley, very close to the site where Derian House now stands. In fact, I used to play football on the field beside where the hospice is now. Derian House is well known in the area and nationally for providing the very best care for children and their families – and I am very proud to support everything they do.”
In the documentary, bereaved dad Paul hopes to encapsulate the happy memories, the positivity, and hope that he experienced during the seven years that his family was supported by Derian House. It will cost £11,000 to fund the project, and Paul and his film crew are reaching out to help them achieve their goal.
Paul, from Skelmersdale, runs North West film production, Old Swan Films, he said: “Having the support of the incredibly seasoned actor and writer, Steve Pemberton, is a true blessing for our little team. His backing lifts our spirits and fills us with determination as film makers, but it also carries a much broader significance for our industry and the wider community. With Steve Pemberton on board, his support will raise the profile of the film and help us get our message out to a wider audience.”
