NW business briefs: GM Mayor’s Charity; Manchester Airport; HMRC; Total People; Barratt Homes; BDO; Eric Wright Group
People are being called on to ‘pull together’ and rise to the challenge of tackling homelessness in Greater Manchester. A massive fundraiser this Thursday, August 17, will see teams challenged with pulling one of Manchester’s new, bright yellow buses for a 30 metre course.
It’ll see public transport return for the first time in decades to the iconic vaulted arches of Manchester Central, once a busy central train station for the city. The fun-filled event will raise vital funds for the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity and support those at risk of becoming homeless in the city region. Teams of five people will race against each other, using their strength to pull one of two single-deckers, each weighing more than 11,200kg, heavier than two adult elephants. The ultimate winners will be crowned ‘Greater Manchester’s Strongest Team’.
Teams will be allocated a one-hour slot where they will register, compete, and receive their certificate celebrating their strength. To participate, each team must raise a minimum of £500. Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester and Patron of Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity said: “The strength and unity we continue to see across Greater Manchester is inspirational, and I know we’ll see more of that at Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity’s Bus Pull. If we all pull together, we can show everyone just how strong a stance we have in our mission to end homelessness.
“That is why I am asking you to sign up today, get raising those funds, and get training. I look forward to seeing you at Manchester Central on the day, doing your bit for the community we are all lucky enough to call home.”
Money raised will support organisations across Greater Manchester, providing vital services for people experiencing homelessness – where possible helping to stop homelessness before it becomes a reality. The event is being made possible thanks to Transport for Greater Manchester, Diamond North West, Go North West and Manchester Central.
Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity provides grants to pioneering organisations that work throughout the city region. It has so far raised £3.1m since it was launched in 2019, unlocking more than 70,000 nights of emergency accommodation, 40 grants to organisations experiencing tough times and enabling 12 years of frontline work through funding. Businesses, community organisations and individuals are encouraged to register a team of five here.
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Manchester Airport is gearing up for its busiest days of the year, with around 100,000 passengers a day set to pass though the Northern gateway this month.
August is the peak month of the holiday season and follows a successful July that saw nearly three million passengers fly into or out of the airport – an increase of almost 15% on July 2022. As passenger numbers continued to grow, the experience delivered to travellers also improved – with 96% of people getting though security in under 15 minutes, compared with 95% in the three previous months.
Last month also saw Manchester Airport awarded the top rating available in the Civil Aviation Authority’s Airport Accessibility Review, which praised ‘significant improvements’ made in the service offered to disabled and less mobile passengers. Around 100,000 passengers will come through the airport most days over August, with that figure increasing to 107,000 on Fridays. The airport welcomed 2,995,984 passengers in July, more than 200,000 more than the previous month, which was the busiest the airport has been since before the pandemic.
Airport managing director, Chris Woodroofe, said: “In the last month alone, we’ve seen almost three million passengers come through the airport and we’ve worked hard to give every single person the best start to their travels. More than 96% of people have been able to get through security in under 15 minutes meaning they get to relax in our departure lounges and feel like their holidays are beginning at the airport. We’ve recruited more than 3,000 new employees since last year and our 100-person resilience team is making sure that we’re able to respond quickly to any issues that may crop up.”
The most popular destinations over the past month have been: Palma de Mallorca (224k passengers), Dublin (220k), Alicante (179k), Faro (157k), Tenerife (145k), Dubai (141k), Malaga (139k), Antalya (138k), Belfast (131k), Dalaman (117k).
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Tom Southward
A North West accountant has labelled HMRC as ‘dead in the water’ after receiving a response to an enquiry submitted in 2020 – more than three years later.
JF Hornby & Co requested a simple administrative change be made to one of its client’s accounts on January 13, 2020. Almost three-and-a-half years later – on June 20, 2023 – HMRC finally got around to responding, saying they could not complete the request.
Tom Southward, a partner at the Ulverston-based accountants, said: “The troubles at HMRC are well documented and we are used to dealing with incompetence, unanswered calls and long lead times for an answer to even the most basic of questions. But three-and-a-half years really does take the biscuit – we could hardly believe it when our client received the letter.
“HMRC is on its knees – if it were a building it would be dilapidated with a family of pigeons living inside. Something needs to happen because the services provided by this government department are vital for businesses trying to navigate a tricky economy.”
HMRC was recently described as ‘disastrously understaffed’ by an inside source. The damning assessment of the under-fire service came amid a row about the much-maligned ‘seasonal’ closure of the self-assessment helpline from June 12, until September – a move which sparked particular dismay among business owners who needed to send their quarterly tax return by July 31.
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Apprenticeship provider, Total People, has secured funding to deliver even more free training for businesses across Greater Manchester.
Employers can now upskill their workforce at no extra cost, saving money on costly recruitment or expensive agency staff. The Level 3 courses, equivalent to an A Level, cover a range of professions including HGV maintenance, childcare, hospitality, accountancy, management, and healthcare and offer an opportunity for employers to invest in their teams without having to find any budget.
In addition to these free courses, Total People also provides help, advice and guidance for people wanting to take their first step on the career ladder. Those who are out of work can gain certificates in health & social care, childcare and business administration, as well as ESOL, English and maths if needed.
This will open up a career pathway into Level 1 or Level 2 certificates, an apprenticeship or a job interview with employers partnering up with Total People.
Michael Bradshaw, commercial director at Total People, said: “It’s really exciting to be able to offer these qualifications and add to the skillset of the Greater Manchester workforce. By focusing on a career track approach, rather than just one-off courses, we’re aiming to get people into meaningful work and give them the skills to contribute even more to the local economy.”
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Elaine Caulfield of Barratt Homes, left, and volunteer Chantelle McSweeney
Barratt Homes Manchester has made a £1,500 donation to Look Good Feel Better, a charity dedicated to improving the physical appearance and overall wellbeing of people living with cancer. The contribution will enable 30 people undergoing treatment for cancer in the county to attend a workshop at Christie Hospital in Manchester.
Look Good Feel Better knows how challenging it can be to process a cancer diagnosis and manage the physical and emotional side-effects of cancer treatment. The charity runs workshops and classes virtually, and at cancer care centres and hospitals across the UK, to support women, men and young adults through this time. Services are free and open to anyone facing cancer, and the workshops are led by trained volunteers in the beauty industry to provide practical advice about changes to skin, eyebrows, eyelashes, hair and nails during treatment, and body confidence.
Volunteers in the health industry also lead its wellbeing-focused classes covering meditation, breathwork and gentle exercise to help reduce feelings of isolation and anxiety.
Ian Daniels, director of fundraising and head of communications at Look Good Feel Better, said: “We are very grateful to Barratt Homes for donating such a considerable sum of money. There are currently three million people in the UK living with cancer and that number is expected to rise to four million by 2030, so demand for our specialist services continues to grow.”
Rhys Nicholson, managing director at Barratt Homes Manchester, said: “Look Good Feel Better provides much needed comfort, support and encouragement for people living with cancer and its services are invaluable. Many people are affected by cancer, both directly and indirectly, and it’s a privilege for us to be able to help charities working tirelessly to be there for those who need the support most.”
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Angela Cross
A shift in customer spending is one of the biggest challenges facing North West businesses over the next six months, as the cost of living crisis continues to bite.
According to BDO’s bi-monthly Economic Engine survey of 500 mid-market businesses, more than half of regional companies (63%) said a decision by customers to cut back on spending is their biggest concern, alongside rising interest rates and the cost of borrowing (40%). However, for 43% of businesses in the North West, difficulty accessing capital, such as bank loans and equity investment, continues to pose a significant challenge. This comes after the House of Commons Treasury Committee published a report on the venture capital industry, highlighting an ‘unacceptable failure’ to invest in regional businesses.
The survey by the accountancy and business advisory firm found that as purse strings tighten, businesses are having to explore ways to save money in the coming months. Nearly half of North West businesses (47%) are reducing their energy usage as a way of cutting overheads, tapping into government support schemes, such as the Energy Bills Discount Scheme and the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, to ease the pressure.
Changing customer spending habits are also impacting employees, with a third of regional businesses (33%) admitting that they intend to hold off raising salaries and awarding bonuses in order to balance the books. Angela Cross, partner and head of BDO in the North West, said: “Customer spending habits have always dictated how many regional businesses approach day-to-day operations and longer term growth. As the battle with inflation continues to impact all facets of the regional economy, North West companies are having to be laser-focused on business priorities for the remainder of 2023, with debt financing and restructuring workforces at the top of the list for more than a quarter of businesses (27%).
“What is reassuring to see is, despite the continued pressures facing businesses, growth ambitions remain firmly on the agenda, with 23% of North West companies considering the option of overseas expansion, whether that’s opening new facilities, or exploring new export channels, as a way of bolstering revenue streams.”
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NHS Kirkholt facilities
Preston-based Eric Wright Partnerships has been appointed to the new NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) Healthcare Planning, Construction Consultancy and Ancillary Services Framework. Agreement, Lot 9 Healthcare Planning.
As a procurement organisation, NHS SBS drives improvements and increases commercial efficiency across health, social care and public sectors across the UK. Eric Wright Partnerships is helping the NHS achieve those goals by creating transformational estates with a strong focus on sustainability for the future. Eric Wright Partnerships secured its place on the framework agreement having previously provided healthcare planning services for the development of health centres in Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan and at Kirkholt in Rochdale, as well as the optimisation of a number of public private partnership portfolios.
The four-year framework agreement is available to the NHS and wider public-sector organisations and provides a fully compliant route to market to procure a range of healthcare planning, construction and ancillary services. Eric Wright Partnerships, which is part of the Eric Wright Group based at Bamber Bridge in Preston, has been appointed to the framework agreement for projects across the North West and Yorkshire regions, having a wealth of experience in designing and developing new health and social care facilities.
The framework agreement will see the Partnerships team working with the NHS’s wider healthcare design teams on projects of various scales and will involve planning the community’s future healthcare requirements, facilities and clinical sites. A key part of the role will be advising the NHS and project design teams on current best practice in meeting key service objectives, improving clinical strategy and design requirements, interpreting health policies and guidance, and optimising the efficiency of healthcare sites.
Wayne Ashton, healthcare consultancy director, said: “We are really pleased to have been successful in joining the NHS SBS Healthcare Planning, Construction Consultancy and Ancillary Services Framework Agreement. It gives us the opportunity to work with a wide range of NHS and public sector clients. Our experienced healthcare planning team is looking forward to using its expertise to support the design and development of new health and social care facilities across the North West and Yorkshire regions.”
