NW business briefs: Jet2; Myprotein; Viridium; Allan J Hargreaves; Equilibrium Foundation; Salford Uni Business School
Jet2.com and Jet2holidays have announced the launch of scheduled flights and holidays from Manchester Airport to Morocco for the first time.
The tour operator and third largest airline will operate year-round from Manchester Airport to two destinations in Morocco – Agadir and Marrakech – with flights and holidays on sale for both winter 24/25 and summer 25.
The companies will operate up to four weekly flights to Morocco from the airport, commencing from October 2024 and running through to November 2025. Customers travelling to Morocco with Jet2holidays and Jet2CityBreaks will be able to choose from approximately 50 4-5 star hotels across Marrakech city, the wider Marrakech area and Agadir.
In the centre of the ‘Red City’, customers on a Jet2CityBreak can choose from almost 20 hotels or Riad-style accommodation, using these centrally-located bases to fall in love with Marrakech’s buzzing centre where labyrinth-like streets lead to hidden riads that are adorned with exquisitely tiled courtyards.
Agadir is Morocco’s most popular pick for a beach getaway. Located on the west coast of Morocco, Agadir’s biggest draw is a 9km-long stretch of golden sand which is dotted with hotels, waterparks and a selection of incredible bars and restaurants.
Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays said: “We are thrilled to be giving customers and independent travel agents even more choice from Manchester Airport thanks to the launch of Morocco as a brand new destination. With year-round availability to the magical destinations of Marrakech and Agadir, we are giving holidaymakers access to two famous holiday hotspots.”
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Myprotein, the online sports nutrition brand, has opened its first bricks and mortar store.
Based in Manchester and inspired by the city in which the brand originated, the Myprotein Kitchen store offers a selection of nutritionally balanced, healthy food choices and products.
Neil Mistry, CEO of THG Nutrition, said: “Quickly following on from our recent brand evolution, we’re so excited for Myprotein to step foot into ‘own retail’ with a concept store in the heart of the city the brand was born in.
“With a unique combination of great menu choices, events, talks and ways to get active, Myprotein Kitchen is here to activate all of Manchester’s healthy intentions, championing everyone to live a healthier, more active life.”
The store, at Unit 8, Abbey House, 74 Mosley Street, opened on October 14.
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Gemma Cornwall
North West building surveyor Gemma Cornwall has launched her own ethical building surveying firm to help property owners across the region meet their decarbonisation goals.
Gemma, who was most recently head of sustainability at AG Built Environment Consultancy, has founded Viridium, which will work primarily with asset managers and commercial landlords on retrofit and net zero projects.
The RICS Chartered Surveyor will also work with commercial developers, schools and local authorities to help them make better choices around energy performance, use of materials, biodiversity net gain and water use.
Gemma, who has advised some of the UK’s biggest companies and property landlords during her roles at AG and global consultancy WSP, said: “My goal with Viridium is to offer a planet-conscious building surveying service to clients who are serious about having a positive impact on society.
“While I’m keen to work with developers to make new buildings as planet friendly as possible, I primarily want to help them take a retrofit first approach. When you see the embodied carbon impact of new development, you realise how important it is first and foremost to ensure the buildings we already have are performing the best they possibly can from an energy and emissions perspective.”
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Deal done
Thornton Cleveleys-based Allan J Hargreaves Plant Engineers has undergone a management buyout, for an undisclosed sum, with funding provided by Barclays Bank.
The firm was established in 1983 by Allan Hargreaves and now employs around 70 staff. It is a specialist in the design and manufacture of road-rail vehicles to facilitate engineering and construction works along or around rail networks.
Allan stepped back from the majority of the day-to-day aspects of running the business a few years ago, with managing director responsibilities being taken on by his son, Paul Hargreaves. Now, as part of the MBO, Allan and wife, Ros, will step back fully as they look to enjoy retirement.
Paul Hargreaves said: “Completing a management buyout of our family business feels like an entirely natural next-step in the continued development of the Allan J Hargreaves group. I am extremely pleased that the transaction will enable my parents, Allan and Ros, to now be able to enjoy the fruits of their labours in retirement, safe in the knowledge that the business will continue under family ownership for the foreseeable future.”
Corporate finance advice to the shareholders and the company was provided by Mark Selby, Tom Eastwood and Harveer Gill of Debrett’s Private Finance. Legal advice to the management team was provided by David Kaplan and Liz Mills of Nelsons Solicitors. Legal advice to the sellers was provided by Richard Underwood and Martin Clifford of Legal Clarity. Tax advice on the transaction was provided by Ray Abercromby and Sarah Sullivan of Azets.
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Equilibrium staff Jacob Drant, Andrew Houghton, Amanda Jackson, Anne Parrott
The Equilibrium Foundation, the charitable giving arm of Cheshire-based Equilibrium Financial Planning, has given a landmark £1m to good causes.
Established in 2010 to make a positive difference to the lives of those in the community and wider North West region, the foundation has now supported more than 200 charitable organisations to date.
Some of the charities that have benefited from the foundation include The Booth Centre, which received a grant of £20,000, Little Hearts Matter and Rekindle which both received £10,000 in funding and Norbrook Youth Club which was given a £14,500 grant.
Funds are raised through donations from the firm and its clients, as well as via employee fundraising activities, and staff Give As You Earn contributions. All employees also receive three paid volunteer days annually with more than three months of volunteering taking place across the team last year. 0
Sarah Warburton, chairperson of the Equilibrium Foundation, said: “We’re elated to have reached such a significant fundraising milestone considerably sooner than we expected. We’ve raised four times more than our initial fundraising target of £250,000 and hope to maintain this momentum for many years to come. The foundation has helped a wide range of organisations in the region over the last 13 years and we look forward to providing ongoing support to good causes.”
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Peninsula UK, which works with the University of Salford Business School, is committing more than £1m in specialist HR services to 400 SMEs and charities, to mark its 40th anniversary.
The giveaway package includes: 24/7 HR and Health & Safety advice, BrightHR software, documentation support, legal insurance and tribunal representation. As part of this initiative, Salford Business School is offering six masterclasses focusing on topics including digital transformation, change management, and sustainability. These themes align perfectly with the January 2024 launch of Salford Business School’s new Centre for Sustainability and Innovation.
Since 2017, the partnership between Salford Business School and Peninsula UK has been marked by mutual growth and innovation. Since its inception, various collaborative projects have been undertaken, highlighting their shared commitment to knowledge dissemination and business empowerment. Central to this has been the opportunity for HR professionals to undertake the postgraduate certificate in Employment Policy and Practice.
In 2022, the collaboration with Peninsula flourished further with the launch of the ‘HR Unpacked’ podcast series. Dr Francine Morris, aAsociate Dean for Enterprise and Engagement at Salford Business School, said: “Our journey with Peninsula UK has always been about innovation and shared growth. I congratulate everyone at Peninsula with such a magnanimous gesture. It reaffirms the values we’ve collectively championed over the years.”
Reflecting on the partnership’s inception in 2017, it was noted: “The synergy between Peninsula UK and Salford Business School is more than just collaboration – it’s about moulding the future of HR and making a tangible difference in the Greater Manchester region.”
