News in Brief – Friday, February 15

TWO Yorkshire businessmen have been appointed to senior positions in a trade body which represents the building preservation industry in the UK.

Mark Edwards, managing director of Timberwise, which has offices in Yeadon, Leeds, is now the acting chairman of the Property Care Association (PCA).

Mr Edwards – previously the PCA deputy chairman – moves into the new role replacing previous chairman, George Hockey, of Glossop-based Trace.

He is joined by Martin Hughes, of Yorkshire Damp Course, based in West Park, who is now acting deputy chairman of the Association.

The Property Care Association (PCA) has been in existence for four years as part of the British Wood Preserving and Damp-proofing Association (BWPDA) but in 2006 officially became an independent association, along with the Wood Protection Association.

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LEEDS-BASED accountancy firm Armstrong Watson has announced the promotion of Nick Davies to director of reward and employment tax across the group.

Mr Davies, previously of Ernst & Young and Grant Thornton, began working for the firm in 2006 as a reward and employment tax consultant and will step up to the new role with immediate effect.

With clients such as Rensburg Sheppards, Carlson Wagonlit and Seven Seas, his new role will see him expanding the team across the 15 Armstrong Watson offices.

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MARK Shannon-Little has been appointed the new practice manager of Barnsley law firm Raleys Solicitors.

Having spent much of the 1990s working within Sheffield City Council, Mr Shannon-Little moved into private law practice management in 1998. In his new role he will have responsibility for the day-to-day running of the Regent Street-based firm.

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ABECEDER, the Leeds-based HR management company, has launched a series of seminars to raise funds for the Charity NSPCC ChildLine.

Abeceder managing director, Michael Millward, who is a member of the NSPCC business group, said: “We were planning to hold the seminars, and thought that sharing the knowledge of the Abeceder team would be a good way to raise some much needed funds for the NSPCC.”

The first seminar on HR issues, on March 4, will look at some of the problems and opportunities of providing employees with internet access at work. It will be hosted by the Malmaison hotel in Leeds and presented with Boxing Orange the internet security company.

Abeceder will also deliver a seminar on how to use employee volunteering for employee development on March 7. The seminar is one of the activities linked to the NSPCC ChildLine Leeds Spring Clean 2008 event.

For further information visit www.abeceder.co.uk or telephone 0113 2515123.