In brief: Leasing firm backs charity & more

A LEASING company has raised more than £14,000 for a children’s cancer charity.

Staff at Academy Leasing completed a gruelling 10K urban assault course at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium to put the finishing touches to their fundraising effort.

Seven members of the vehicle, invoice and equipment finance provider, based at Lowton near Leigh, battled various challenges at the event in aid of the Children’s Cancer Leukaemia Group (CCLG).

It included full body mud immersions, scaling the stadiums steps and swimming in the ice-cold Bridgewater Canal.

Previous fundraising events have included a summer barbecue and a ‘Hell Run’ in Delamere Forest.

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BUSINESS Finance Solutions (BSF) has announced its first award to a firm from a newly-launched £3m North West fund for micro loans.

The North West Fund for Micro Loans, managed by BFS and the Merseyside Special Investment Fund (MSIF), has awarded £49,500 to Rawtenstall, Lancashire-based Greener Surfacing which harvests old road surfaces to produce new asphalt.

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EIGHT new jobs are being created at the heart of Rochdale town centre as a new Costa Coffee branch opens.

The outlet is in a prime position in Rochdale Exchange, close to the shopping centre’s entrance and is due to open in early March.

It will be run by 27-year-old manager Ashleigh Nicholson.

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THE Manchester Society of Chartered Accountants (MSCA) has secured author, journalist and BBC news presenter Jeremy Vine as keynote speaker at its annual dinner and awards event to be held on March 19.

Vine will bring his own unique brand of insight and experience to the event, falling as it does in the run up to this year’s General Election.

He has spent 25 years as a BBC presenter working on Panorama and Newsnight and currently hosting his own lunchtime show on Radio 2.

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A MANCHESTER health entrepreneur has won a £100,000 NHS innovation contract for a cloud based platform to support people with learning disabilities, working in partnership with Salford Council.

Dan Lingard, who runs iPersonally, submitted bid to the Small Business Research Initiative for Healthcare (SBRI), NHS England scheme, and following the award there is now the opportunity for a further £2m.

He submitted his bid following the development of his concept originally created in support of people living with dementia.

Mr Lingard is working with Salford Council and NHS Integrated Learning Disability team. 

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