News in Brief: Bedding manufacturer recognised in Asda awards; Fifth IiP win for Yorkshire Dales National Park and more

A MIRFIELD-based filled bedding manufacturer has been celebrating an award from ASDA.

John Cotton Group won the Supplier of the Year for Availability award at the ASDA Supplier Celebration Awards dinner 2010.

The annual event in Harrogate recognises the achievements of suppliers that contribute to the supermarket’s success as one of the lowest price retailers in the UK.
 
Established in 1916 John Cotton Group is a family run company which manufactures and distributes pillows, quilts and mattress protectors across Europe.

Group managing director Mark Cotton said: “We are absolutely delighted with the award. The team at John Cotton always work closely with the ASDA trading teams and their operating systems to ensure that we deliver quality products.

“Our operational team has worked very hard and is extremely proud to be recognised.”

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THE Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority has been awarded the Investors in People (IiP) accreditation for the fifth time running.

Chris Armitage, the Authority’s member champion for corporate management, said: “The Authority takes great pride in looking after its staff and this award is confirmation of the success of that culture.”

Chief executive David Butterworth said: “Much of what we achieve at the National Park Authority is down to the calibre of our staff. It’s wonderful to see an external IiP assessment that confirms we are on the right track.”

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A ROLE-playing game developed by a university to help young people understand how to manage their finances is being adopted by other UK universities.

Cash Course, created by Sheffield Hallam University and Sheffield
Hallam Students’ Union with funding from Aimhigher, has been adopted by
the University of St Andrews, Aston University, and Aimhigher in
Nottinghamshire.

Cash Course gets 15 to 18-year-olds to play the part of a new student
who has to work out a weekly budget.

They then face their bank manager, lecturer and best friend, all played by Sheffield Hallam students.

Since its creation more than 2,000 young people from around South
Yorkshire have taken part in the game, run by Sheffield Hallam’s
Outreach and UK Recruitment Team and supported by student ambassadors
from the university.

Clive MacDonald, director of student learning services at Sheffield
Hallam, said: “Student finance is one of the main perceived barriers to
young people’s progression to higher education. A clear need exists to
tackle these perceived barriers and Cash Course does this in a fun and
interactive way.”