People: New chamber of commerce president announced; Property agent recruits sales negotiator; Specialist care team leader appointed; and more

Leeds Chamber of Commerce has elected a new President.

Amanda Beresford succeeds Paula Dillon, who has held the post for the last two years.

Beresford, a Partner and Head of Planning with law firm Shulmans, was elected at the annual meeting of Leeds Chamber’s Leadership Group. She had occupied the role of Vice-President until the election, and that role is now filled by Mike Briffett of Turner & Townsend.

Beresford said: “I’m very honoured to take on the role as President of Leeds Chamber of Commerce.

“Paula has done a fantastic job over the last two years and I look forward to pushing ahead with our efforts while also introducing some of my own plans and ideas.

“Leeds is the economic powerhouse of the region. It is in a period of great change that will affect the environment within which Leeds businesses operate.

“In the next few years, plans for better connectivity through HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail will be advanced; the recently adopted development plan for sites for new housing and employment will move into an implementation phase; a roadmap to address the climate change emergency, recently declared by the Council, will emerge and Brexit will still be on the horizon.

“Leeds has seen record levels of investment lately but there are ongoing challenges for business, such as the skills gap and funding.

“I have been involved with Leeds Chamber of Commerce for many years and, as President, I look forward to being a strong voice and representative of our members during the next couple of years, working with partners and other stakeholders in relation to all of these matters and more.”

The Chamber said it would reveal more details of Beresford’s plans for the next two years in the weeks and months to come.

Chief Executive of West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, Sandy Needham, added: “We’re grateful to Paula for her efforts over the last two years, and are looking forward to working closely with Amanda and Mike during this next period.

“It’s a great time to be running a business in West & North Yorkshire and we have some wonderful ambassadors and campaigners within our family, not least of which are in Leeds.”

:::

Property agent Croft Residential, based in York, has boosted its sales team with the appointment of Amy Baker as sales negotiator.

Baker joins Croft Residential, which specialises in selling exclusive and historic homes, as well as in land sales, having worked in residential estate agency for five years, most recently at James Winn in Thirsk.

Croft Residential founder and director, Toby Cockcroft, said: “We are really pleased to welcome Amy on board as a new colleague, as we continue to expand our fantastic sales team.

“It is an indication of the strength of demand for homes at the top of the market that we are continuing to grow as a specialist high-end agency, and the rise of Yorkshire, as a region in which more and more people are choosing to live, is showing no sign of slowing.”

Baker said: “Toby and the team are exceptionally knowledgeable about their market and have sold some of Yorkshire’s finest properties, whether off market or via the traditional sales process.

“I have already learned so much and am looking forward to growing in my role at Croft Residential.”

Founded by Cockcroft in 2010, Croft Residential has recorded record sales of £23m in the last three months alone.

The firm’s current £68m portfolio of properties across the north of England includes a North Yorkshire country estate about to go on the market for £10m; Boston Hall, the £2.85m home of cricket legend Geoffrey Boycott; and a development site for 340 homes at Stockton-on-Tees.

:::

Enhanced Community Healthcare Options (ECHO) has appointed an award-winning care home professional to lead its new specialist care facility – Malsis Hall, in Glusburn near Keighley.

Lisa Gardner brings with her more than 30 years’ experience in the care sector, having qualified as a nurse in the 1990s and working her way up to hold a number of senior managerial positions.

She has won several national awards for her work, including the Service Manager Award in 2014 and the Family Carer Choice Award in 2016, which was voted for by Service Users and their families.

Her career has primarily been based in the North East and Cumbria and has focused on providing care for vulnerable people who have complex and multiple needs. She has previously had significant successes in supporting people with mental health conditions to return to independent living.

Malsis Hall – a former private school – is currently being converted into a care centre to provide recovery and rehabilitation for people with mental health conditions, often resulting from psychological trauma.

The service, which will be accepting referrals from Local Authorities and the NHS within a 30-mile radius, is due to open in two phases in early summer and autumn.

The facility will also include three sports pitches, a sports pavilion and community meeting rooms for members of the public to use.

Gardner said: “I’m delighted to have been appointed as manager at Malsis Hall. It’s a wonderful building with a lot of history, and it’s fantastic to see ECHO bringing it back to life.

“It’s going to be a beautiful, therapeutic environment for our residents, and the new residents are going to love the facilities and the grounds.

“It is essential when someone is recovering from a mental health condition that they can do so in a calming atmosphere with plenty of access to the community for support.

“Not only is Malsis Hall close enough to the village that our residents will enjoy visiting regularly, but the facilities, such as the sports pitches, will draw the local people to see us too.”

Andrew Shelton Murray, Director of ECHO, said: “Lisa is an exceptional nurse and a well-respected, experienced leader. Her track record and the recognition she has received, both from peers and members of the public, speaks for itself.

“Malsis Hall is going to be a fantastic facility for the whole community, providing local services and jobs for local people, and we needed the right person in place to ensure it is the success it deserves to be. There is no doubt in my mind that Lisa is the ideal candidate.”

Malsis Hall will officially open at the end of August, with a public open day on 6 September.

:::

Keebles’ family law department has appointed a partner as its new head of department and a legal director who jointly combine over three decades of expertise in family law.

Joe Bartlett, a collaborative family lawyer with a strong track record in dealing with high net worth cases, is experienced in all areas of family law including financial remedies and private children disputes.

Accredited mediator Antony Ball, who is also a collaborative lawyer and has worked with the firm for almost a decade, has been made legal director. His expertise spans pre and post-nuptial agreements, cohabitation disputes and injunctions.

Another development sees Rebecca Crofts – an experienced member of the Law Society Children Panel – promoted to senior associate. Crofts specialises in children matters including disputes between family members or concerns involving the local authority.

Keebles’ partner, Paul Trudgill, said: “Joe, Antony and Rebecca combine a wealth of expertise in their field. We wish them continued success in their new roles as they carry on the legacy of Vanessa Fox, our former head of family law who recently passed away, to make a difference to the lives of our valued clients.”

Keebles has offices in Sheffield, Leeds and Doncaster.

:::

A Doncaster-based provider of residential park homes for the over 45s has appointed a new Managing Director to support its ongoing expansion plans.

Gavin Leverett, 48, from Chesterfield, has joined the team at Serenity Parks bringing a wealth of management and director level experience from his career in finance.

“I am very much looking forward to the new challenges that the role at Serenity Parks will bring and to growing the business and the team in line with our ambitious growth aspirations,” he said.

“The opportunity for retirees or those simply looking to downsize early is one that so many are looking to take advantage of. This is a lifestyle choice that Serenity Parks is committed to offering to as many as is practically possible in the coming years.”

Much of Gavin’s career has been focused on supporting entrepreneurs and he has worked across a number of sectors, particularly within construction and construction services. His last role saw him hold the position of Chief Financial Officer of a £100m turnover, multi-company construction business called the Horbury Group.

Gary Burns, Director and co-owner of Serenity Parks, said: “Gavin will be a hugely important part of the current and long term development of the business and will have a very positive impact in respect of both operational and strategic development.

“Our aim in 2019 is to acquire a number of new parks and we are well placed to deliver this and more as part of our five-year business plan.”

The latest acquisition in the company portfolio is Kings Meadow Residential Park, which is situated near Sevenoaks, in Kent. It will undergo a complete transformation bringing 40, one and two bedroom single storey properties to the area.

:::

After working with Mal Evans to set up the MOJO bar brand in Leeds over 20 years ago, James Hudson has returned to the MOJO group to head up Training, Business Development and Human Resources.

Hudson will be implementing Career Professional Development training for all MOJO employees, as well as working with the teams to update their existing training program and include profiling in the hiring process.

Martin Greenhow, MOJO director says, “With five venues, a turnover of in excess of £5.5m and a staff of 90 we have been seeking an expert to manage all our employment requirements. With James we not only have someone highly skilled across all the relevant disciplines but also someone who understand the MOJO ethos.”

While enjoying a decade away from the hospitality industry, Hudson has used his time to retrain and study. He has become a performance and leadership coach, and a sales and customer service trainer working for one of the country’s leading consultancy firms. He is also now a published author.

He said: “This is a great opportunity. MOJO is such a fantastic and well-loved company, by staff and customers alike and I’m excited about helping to take them to the next level.

“Obviously, it’s changed completely since I worked here but it’s still rock n’ roll – and I like that!”

 

Close