A recruitment agency in King’s Lynn has partnered with facilities management organisation EMCOR UK to supply workers across East Anglia. Berry Recruitment anticipates that it will provide many new roles to candidates who will benefit from the relationship. Training on the job, highly competitive salaries and career development opportunities are designed to attract workers to fill a variety of roles. The partnership highlights the need for candidates and shows that the region’s economy is in a positive state, with EMCOR UK helping drive it forward. Lauren Kirby, who secured the partnership for the agency, said: “Our relationship with EMCOR UK creates really attractive opportunities. Job hunters don’t just look at a salary, they examine the whole package which is why we offer so much in order to find the best." “The market is still candidate-driven and the emphasis must be on offering more than anyone else, which is what we do to find the staff for EMCOR UK. We supply them with workers in various sectors, including the sugar and water industries, in locations including Bury St Edmunds, Newark and Cantley." “We have a team of experienced recruiters and are pleased that EMCOR UK has placed their trust in us to provide the staff they need.” Steven Thomson, from EMCOR UK, said: “We are known for our commitment to creating a positive and inclusive working environment, valuing diversity and promoting a collaborative atmosphere, where colleagues feel seen, heard and recognised." “This inclusive culture not only enhances teamwork but also encourages innovation and creativity across the workforce.” Jobs include production operatives, industrial cleaners, cleaning supervisors, scaffolders, welders, forklift divers as well as other roles. Already many of those who Berry have supplied have been offered permanent jobs with competitive salaries. Berry Recruitment is part of Berry Recruitment Group that works from nearly 40 locations across England and Wales. EMCOR UK provides a range of customer-centric solutions through workplace transformation, integrated facilities management, project solutions, data-led asset management services and carbon reduction.

A family-run business based in Lanarkshire has successfully expanded its services to offer the latest drone technology across the UK after its owners accessed support from Business Gateway. Horizon Drone Surveying Ltd provides state-of-the-art drone surveying services using the latest technology to deliver high-resolution images and data in the most challenging of environments, including land, sea, and in the air. Horizon Drone Surveying’s team includes certified pilots who use equipment and techniques to provide a wide range of drone surveying services, including aerial photography, thermal imaging, topographic mapping, and site surveying. The business, launched in April 2023, was founded by John and Robert Garvie, who were on a mission to use technology to deliver precision and accuracy in surveying while ensuring safety and efficiency. With John and Robert both coming from a background in health and safety, they felt strongly about providing a quality surveying service that was safety focused and approached Business Gateway for support to elevate their start up. The pair were introduced to a business adviser, Debbie Dawkins, who has provided them with ongoing one-to-one support, which included help with developing a business plan, and advice on maintaining cashflow. John and Robert also attended workshops, including trading online and Wordpress for beginners, which allowed them to pick up the skills required to develop a website. Through Business Gateway, John and Robert were signposted to funding, and secured £1,000 from the South Lanarkshire Business Start-up Grant, as well as £1,000 from South Lanarkshire Council’s Micro Business Support Grant. This funding was critical to purchase the equipment required, as well as a subscription service for drone mapping software. Thanks to the support, and the grants received, John and Robert have been able to begin trading properly, and have successfully grown their business to offer a range of surveying services. Looking ahead to the future, with an overarching goal of promoting their business to a wider audience, John and Robert will receive fully-funded consultancy support from a marketing expert which will help with SEO and advertising. John Garvie, Horizon Drone Surveying Ltd, said, “The support from Business Gateway in the background has been invaluable. Our adviser is always on the end of the phone for advice, a chat or to direct us to other resources to continue our grow as business owners and operators. With Business Gateway’s continued support, I’m confident we can continue to grow into a sustainable business and contribute to our local communities.” Debbie Dawkins, Business Gateway adviser, said: “We have been able to support Horizon Drone Surveying Ltd with a range of Business Gateway’s start-up services, which have helped John and Robert get their feet off the ground. It has been fantastic to watch the business expand and develop this year, and I look forward to watching them continue to grow in the future.”

JCB apprentices are set to share their on-the-job training experience with an audience of at least 140,000 people as part of a live broadcast across the UK. They will be put under the spotlight during National Apprenticeship Week when they host The Big Assembly – a programme which will be broadcast to students next week to highlight the fantastic opportunities apprenticeships offer. The programme will be live-streamed into hundreds of UK schools and colleges from the JCB Quarry, near its World Headquarters in Rocester, Staffordshire on Tuesday, February 6th before an invited audience of Year 10 students and teachers from three local schools – Blythe Bridge High School, Sir Thomas Boughey Academy and Chesterton Community Sports College, both in Newcastle-under-Lyme. It will feature expert panel discussions with apprentices and business bosses about the benefits of the apprenticeship route as well as demonstrations of JCB machines in action. The company was chosen to host the prestigious event in recognition of its investment in apprenticeships. In the past three years JCB’s Global Learning team have trained almost 500 apprentices in every aspect of the business. JCB Global HR Director Max Jeffery will be on The Big Assembly expert panel. He said: “JCB is one of the largest construction machinery manufacturers in the world and the company is on an ambitious growth route for the next five years. We invest £8 million a year in our Early Careers programme to ensure new talent is constantly evolving and helping us to remain world leading." “Every part of the company is involved in the scheme through 44 different apprenticeship routes which range from welding on the production line through to engineering design, software development and business administration." “Last year we had more than 5,000 applicants for the programme which shows not only how keen young people are to pursue the apprenticeship route, but also how much they value the opportunity to build a career with a globally recognised brand such as JCB.” The Big Assembly was watched by an estimated 140,000 people last year and schools, businesses, parents, and members of the public can register to watch this year’s event by going to the website . The event will be followed up by an Apprenticeships Open Day at JCB Global Learning Centre, JCB World Headquarters, Rocester on Saturday February 10th at 10am and 1pm. To book a place visit here .

A family business with over 10 years’ involvement in the children's care sector is launching an alternative education establishment in Nottingham for teenagers who have been excluded from mainstream schooling. Younas & Schofield Group is this week launching SHAPE (Safe Haven Alternative Provision of Excellence) in Alfreton Road, Radford, in an effort to improve the prospects of 14-16-year-olds who have been permanently excluded from school. Many of these teenagers will have displayed signs of disruptive behaviour, violence, truancy, gang or drug-related offences, while others may have actually been the victims of bullying or suffer from anxieties that make mainstream schooling difficult. SHAPE will become the first such centre for alternative provision (AP) launched under the Safe Haven brand, which also operates over 100 semi-independent homes, children's homes and supported living units across the UK that support vulnerable and disadvantaged young people. Nottingham has the highest overall permanent exclusion rate in the country. Out of 151 local authority areas, Nottingham topped the table with 15 exclusions per 10,000 pupils in the 2020-21 academic year, according to Government data. SHAPE, which currently has capacity for around 50 Key Stage 4 students, will offer a bespoke curriculum based on the needs of individual pupils, in addition to English and Maths, which are a statutory requirement. Harvey Schofield, who has been appointed Head of Provision at the new centre, said: “The high demand for alternative provision is shockingly sad, not least in Nottingham." “There’s a massive shortage of AP for youngsters who have been permanently excluded from mainstream schooling. We want to show these young people and their families that there is life beyond things like gangs and selling drugs." “We will try to give every one of them the best chance possible for their future.” Harvey (37) himself experienced a turbulent childhood in Nottingham, coming from what he describes as “a disruptive home with no role models and heavily involved in crime.” He eventually ended up in young offenders’ institutions, until a supportive colleague later encouraged him to pursue a growing interest in education. Since that point, Harvey has become a specialist in behaviour management and has plied his trade in alternative provision education ever since. He was formerly involved with Nottingham’s Stone Soup Academy, the second AP free school in the country to ever be awarded an Outstanding Ofsted rating. With his new venture at SHAPE, Harvey will be leading a strong and carefully selected team of teachers, support and safeguarding staff. With a maximum of eight pupils per class, teaching will be more bespoke than mainstream schools, with opportunities to learn about things like independent living, football, citizenship, the uniform services and employability, alongside more traditional subjects like art, history, geography and, of course, English and Maths. The main building, which contains classrooms, a games room and cafeteria, benefits from a 2,500 sq ft warehouse, where Harvey also intends to teach construction skills, particularly in relation to renewable and sustainable energy. Despite the fact that Harvey’s turbulent background mirrors that of many of the young people he supports in his profession, he said that the best mentors and educators could equally come from very advantaged, affluent backgrounds. “It’s all about how we behave as people in this environment,” he said. “That’s what will make a difference to these youngsters. In fact, the only behaviour that is more important than the students is our behaviour as teachers and people.” The philosophy of setting good examples extends to SHAPE’s planned daily interaction with parents and guardians. Through a social media dashboard developed by Harvey - called The Sphere - parents, pupils, referrers, and staff can interact safely, to encourage involvement from all parties. The communication tool will also offer advice and educational opportunities directed to parents, such as enabling them to complete their own English and Maths qualifications, perhaps to help set an example for their youngsters. Shamraiz Younas, the CEO of Safe Haven Support Care & Education Group, expressed great enthusiasm about the addition to their current offerings in place for vulnerable young people. This venture holds special significance for him as it is located in the heart of his hometown, allowing him to give back in a personally meaningful way. He commented: “This opportunity is both rewarding and exciting. Moreover, we anticipate that this venture is just the beginning for the group, as we aspire to positively impact the lives of numerous young individuals across the country.” The group already has a nationwide presence, providing support to young people with accommodation and daily support, including a focus on fostering independent living for those aged 16-25. SHAPE is launching tomorrow (Feb 1) with an open day, where key people involved in Nottingham’s education provision and pupil referrals have been invited to attend.

Family Business United is delighted to publish its inaugural report celebrating the role of women and their contribution to family firms across the UK. As Paul Andrews, Founder and CEO of Family Business United explains, "Family businesses are the backbone of the UK economy, making a significant impact on a daily basis through the jobs they provide, income they generate and the wealth they create, not forgetting the impact they have on the broader communities in which they operate." "Women play a massive role in driving the family business agenda and family businesses across the country and their contribution to such a vital sector should not be ignored. In all corners of the UK, women are going above and beyond on a daily basis - as inspirational leaders, champions of change, drivers of innovation and sustainability, motivators of others - and making a truly positive impact on the family firms in which they work." "Here at Family Business United we wanted to recognise their contribution, as leaders, next generation ambassadors, non-family executives, agents of change and even the unsung heroes, those women that ‘get it’ and ‘get on with it’ and help build sustainable family businesses with little or no obvious recognition for their contribution." “Women play a massive role in driving the family business agenda and family businesses across the country and their contribution to such a vital sector should not be ignored.” "This report celebrates a collection of wonderful individuals, great ambassadors for the family businesses in which they are involved and their impact on the broader community, and their contribution to this thriving sector which is at the very heart of our nation." "We set out to identify women who really do make a difference and have uncovered some remarkable and inspirational individuals in compiling this inaugural report," concludes Paul. Read the full report here:

Family Business United, the leading organisation dedicated to promoting and supporting family-owned enterprises, is delighted to announce the upcoming Yorkshire Family Business Day which is taking place on February 8. This special day is designed to recognise and celebrate the invaluable contributions of family businesses to the national economy. Family businesses play a crucial role in fostering economic growth, creating jobs, and maintaining a strong sense of community. Yorkshire Family Business Day will provide an opportunity for these businesses to showcase their stories, share their experiences, and highlight the unique aspects that make family enterprises thrive. Paul Andrews, CEO of Family Business United, is delighted to be organising the day again this year, adding; "Family businesses are the backbone of the economy, and Yorkshire Family Business Day is a fantastic annual occasion to shine a spotlight on their achievements. These businesses embody resilience, innovation, and a commitment to their communities, and we are proud to celebrate their success." Participants in Yorkshire Family Business Day can expect a day filled with insightful discussions and insights on social media, profile raising opportunities and engagement with plenty of recognition for their dedication to building enduring enterprises. The event will bring together a diverse range of family businesses, from small local enterprises to large, multi-generational companies as well as the advisers that support them. Family Business United encourages all family businesses and advisory firms who work with family business clients in Yorkshire to join in the celebrations.  By coming together, the family business community can amplify the impact and showcase the strength and resilience that characterises family-owned enterprises, as well as the contribution they make each and every day. As Paul concludes, “This is a day for us to highlight the significant contribution of family businesses across Yorkshire, in terms of the jobs they provide, the income they generate and the wealth they create, as well as the massive impact that they have on communities across the country." Each family business has a story to tell and we are encouraging them all to share pictures of who they are and what they do, share their narrative and the things that they do so that we can amplify their voice and demonstrate their impact too.  Each year the day gets bigger with more and more activity on social media and we are looking forward to a fabulous #YorkshireFamilyBizDay which shines the light on this sector and all that it does to support the nation.” Follow the social media activity on X relating to the day here

Robertson Construction was joined by WEPCo and Flintshire County Council to mark a significant milestone on-site at the state-of-the-art Mynydd Isa Campus. The building was officially ‘topped out’ to mark the highest point in the build. When complete, the Campus will accommodate more than 1,300 pupils from the ages of three to 16. Robertson Construction North West is the construction partner of choice for the Campus, which is being delivered through WEPCo (Welsh Education Partnership Company) utilising the Welsh Government’s Mutual Investment Model (MIM) on behalf of Flintshire County Council. To commemorate the milestone, a ceremonial brick was prepared, which according to ancient legend in the construction of buildings, ensures its prosperity and success. Councillor Claire Homard, Chief Officer for Education and Youth, Flintshire County Council; Councillor Mared Eastwood; and head teachers Paul Smith and Richard Collett were invited to add symbolic ingredients to the brick mould. Oil was added to represent liberty and prosperity; corn, to enable to property to ripen in abundance; salt for purity; and wine to represent hospitality and wisdom. Robertson also presented the school with a fir tree that will become part of the planting scheme at the Campus and is intended to grow with pupils over the years. Guests were invited to witness the preparation of the ceremonial brick on the roof of the new campus. The roof area is circa 5,536m2, which is a greater area than five Olympic swimming pools. Dirk Pittaway, Managing Director, Robertson Construction North West, explained: “In addition to celebrating the milestone with a symbolic age-old tradition, the presentation of the fir tree signifies the creation of a Campus that will flourish and provide a quality environment to nurture pupils and encourage educational growth and attainment.” Robertson has been engaging with the local community throughout the build, including hosting site visits, presenting progress to local schools and delivering a programme of community benefits that will support the area socially, economically and environmentally. Mynydd Isa Campus will replace Argoed High School and incorporate the local primary school Ysgol Mynydd Isa. The schools will operate separately from the two-storey campus and with some shared facilities. Dirk continued: “Works are well underway for the new campus that will provide a modern, first-class learning environment that will address both educational and personal needs. The topping out has been a real celebration of the relationships that have been formed and the progress that has been made, which will ensure that Mynydd Isa Campus has strong deep roots in the community." “We look forward to continuing our relationships over the next 12 months and beyond, when we will hand over the building to Flintshire County Council and Robertson Facilities Management, who will maintain a presence in the local area as the hard FM provider for the Campus.” Christian Stanbury, CEO, WEPCo, said: “I am delighted to see this exciting WEPCo project reach such an important milestone. All of our partners have been working exceptionally hard to deliver on our promise of an education campus which leads the way on net zero carbon as well as making a huge difference to the learners, staff and the local community for many years to come.” Councillor Mared Eastwood, Cabinet Member for Education, Welsh Language, Culture and Leisure, said: “It is a great privilege for me to have the honour of being part of the topping out ceremony and learning about the significance and tradition of the ceremony itself." Getting to this stage of the build has involved a lot of hard work and support from so many people. The ceremony represents a major milestone for Flintshire County Council and is a big step forwards for the present and future learners of Flintshire.” With a focus on user wellbeing, the outdoor facilities will meet the needs of nursery, primary and high school pupils. This includes a variety of external play spaces and sports areas as well as pitches, including an all-weather grass pitch, and a carpark. Aligning with the Welsh Government’s commitment to net zero, the 10, 507m² Mynydd Isa Campus will be BREEAM excellent and carbon neutral in operation. The roof will also be home to 1,080 solar panels that will generate up to 508,987 kWh per annum, with 600 kVA being exported back to the grid in the height of summer.

A Bracknell entrepreneur whose business was inspired by her son following his brain tumour diagnosis, has been named among the UK’s Top 100 Most Impressive Female Founders. Kimberley Shamtally has made the list of Small Business Britain’s ‘f: Entrepreneur #IAlso100’ campaign, for her success with Muscle Mechanics. The business was established during the height of the pandemic in 2020 and produces pain-relief balms and mood-enhancing inhalers. The research and development of the hand-made muscle balms was based on a real life need to help her son Jenson overcome the pain he endured through rehabilitation after surgery caused long term complications for his mobility. Kim said: “During major surgery to remove the tumour, disaster struck. A brain injury developed into Posteria Fossa Syndrome. Jenson lost all mobility and couldn’t eat, sleep, walk or move his head. To most this would be the sort of devastating blow that would end a hero’s journey. But not Jenson." “He kept fighting. For two years he pushed and fought to regain his physical skills. However his nemesis then clawed its way back into his life – the tumour had returned.” She added: “Throughout Jenson’s process of recovery the Muscle Mechanics products have been incredibly helpful in keeping him calm.” As a sports massage therapist and aromatherapist, Kim Shamtally had been providing customised pain relief balms and soothing essential oil blends to her clients for 15 years to help ease muscle aches between massage sessions. Deeply aware that her work was not just helping relieve muscular aches and injury but also help support creeping mental illness that can come with struggling through muscular recovery, she worked to make these more widely available. It has also caught the attention of local football clubs looking to find ways to improve physical recovery from matches. Muscle Mechanics can be seen at various sporting events across the UK. The latest accolade follows on from a series of successes last year, including winning Product of the Year at The Business Success Recognition Awards; Female Entrepreneur of the Year finalist at The Surrey Business Awards and finalist for Innovation of the Year at last week’s Thames Valley Business and Community Awards when. She will now go on and compete for the national awards in April. Jenson himself won a True Inspirational Hero Award in London in 2022 and The Pride of Bracknell Forest Award last year. Jenson, now aged eight, has since undergone more than 70 weekly chemotherapy sessions and requires around-the-clock care but is now walking independently with the use of a walker. Kim has also worked with oncology patients at The Royal Surrey County Hospital. She added: “Combining exercise with the right recovery tools can improve the experience of how the body can cope with everyday aches and pains. More importantly, it keeps my son focused on his mission to become as physically independent as possible." “Creating Muscle Mechanics Balms is a family business where each person truly understands what it takes to become more resilient." “I hope that Jenson’s courageous and resilient energy serves as an example of how you can rise up from the worst of circumstances. I hope our products can help others in their own fight with pain, whether its big or small, mental or physical.” “This award is an incredible moment to shine the light on female business owners and their impact on local communities.” From AI companies to female-run tradeswoman platforms and sustainable fashion designers, the f: Entrepreneur ‘#IAlso100’ line-up particularly showcases trailblazing female founders who lead purpose-driven businesses alongside a roster of other responsibilities, such as volunteering, mentoring and community support. Launched in 2017 by Small Business Britain – the leading champion of small businesses in the UK - the f:Entrepreneur campaign aims to raise greater awareness of the impact of incredible female business owners across the country, and help provide inspiration and role models to the wider small business community. Michelle Ovens CBE, founder of Small Business Britain, said: “Congratulations to Kimberley and each of the phenomenal women featured in this year’s #IAlso100.” “It is so important that we call out the incredible contribution of women running businesses across the UK. As well as growing economic prosperity, they are also having a tremendous, wider positive impact on local communities too. Despite all of the challenges of recent times, it is fantastic to see female entrepreneurship continuing to grow and flourish in the UK, and we must do all we can to encourage and build this further.”

The fundraising efforts of the IT team at Letchworth-based contractor Willmott Dixon have resulted in local Herts homeless charity Feed Up, Warm Up receiving over £6,104 to support its work providing safe spaces for the county’s most vulnerable people. This is the result of a busy 12 months of activities by the IT team for the charity that included a family fun day, gruelling hiking challenge, and a company-wide fantasy football league. The money will help Feed Up, Warm Up’s work offering food and friendly support to homeless people, and those at risk of homelessness. It will also help the charity’s homeless outreach work where they send teams into the community to offer support directly to those in need, right across Hertfordshire. Each year Willmott Dixon’s IT team select a local charity to support, with Feed Up, Warm Up the chosen beneficiary in 2023, with activities led by management trainees who work with colleagues across the company. In 2024, the team’s charity is Letchworth’s Garden House Hospice, which provides free specialist palliative care for patients, families and carers facing life limiting illnesses from across North Hertfordshire, Stevenage and towns and villages in Central Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire. Willmott Dixon management trainee Mahsa Dehghani says: “It was a pleasure to raise so much money for this fantastic charity – they do brilliant such work and given Willmott Dixon’s strong roots in Hertfordshire, along with our ethos to help those less fortunate in society, supporting Feed Up, Warm Up was a natural fit. We are so proud to have helped make a difference and look forward to doing the same in 2024 with Garden House Hospice.” Willmott Dixon is well known for its purpose beyond profit and its commitment to leaving a positive legacy where it works. It was awarded the King’s Award for Enterprise for Promoting Opportunity, the fourth such accolade for the company, and the first from HM King Charles III.

Seven in ten people say they are not confident the UK will meet its 2050 net zero milestone, according to a new survey of nearly 6,000 adults. The findings come from the latest State of the State, an annual report on attitudes to government and public services published by Deloitte and Reform, an independent think tank. This year’s report, which includes a survey by Ipsos UK, has a special focus on the country’s path to net zero, exploring levels of public confidence in the UK’s progress, its ability to meet its net zero commitments and their own willingness to make sustainable lifestyle changes. Confidence levels in whether the UK will reach its target for achieving net zero emissions across the economy by 2050 were low – only 23% said they are very or fairly confident the UK will meet the target while 70% said the opposite. The research found that younger people are significantly more likely than older age groups to believe the goal will be met (although still pessimistic overall). A third of 16-34-year-olds (33%) surveyed are confident about reaching net zero targets, compared to just 13% of the 55-64 age group and 14% of the 65-75 age group. Achieving net zero A third pointed to recycling and reducing household waste (35%) as making the biggest difference to people having a more sustainable lifestyle, the top priority from a list of 11 different options. Changes such as flying less (16%) or buying an electric car instead of a petrol or diesel (16%) are much further down the public’s priority list. A fifth (21%) of the public said they would change their shopping habits (such as sticking to seasonal produce). When asked which actions they might personally take, people aged 55-75 are more likely to say they plan to recycle more (58%), drive less (24%) and fly less (20%) compared to other age groups. Whereas younger people, aged 16-34, are more likely than older groups to say they will switch to a more environmentally friendly way of heating their home (16%). There are also some sizable differences by gender, with women being more likely than men to say they expect to change their lifestyles in several measures; over half of the women surveyed (56%) said they would recycle and reduce household waste more, compared to 44% of men who would do the same. When asked about which actions government could take to have the biggest impact on emissions, the top answer was to switch energy use away from fossil fuels (45%). In contrast, when asked about what they personally would do, only 16% of the public said they plan to use more environmentally friendly methods of heating their own homes, such as replacing gas boilers with heat pumps or using more insulation. Other priority actions the government could take included the encouragement of greener transport (29%), but when asked if they are likely to buy an electric car instead of petrol or diesel – only 12% of people said they are likely to do so in the next couple of years. Jayson Hadley, UK head of government and public services at Deloitte, said: “Our survey outlined two conclusions about the general public mood on achieving net zero: it's a priority, but not something they expect will massively change their lifestyles." “It’s also notable that bigger actions involving individual changes of behaviour are much lower down the public’s list. However, the cost of living crisis may be having an impact here because many of the measures people can take require money." “All of this suggests there is more work to do in order to convince the public that net zero is achievable and that this relies on their participation. There needs to be a broader shift towards more sustainable lifestyles and environmentally conscious public policy, if the UK is to make its transition to a greener economy.” Public concern grows for immigration, infrastructure and NHS waiting lists For the second year running, the cost of living crisis is the public’s top concern, with nearly eight in ten people (78%) citing it as a priority for improvement in the next few years. The next biggest issue for the public is the NHS, where worries about waiting lists have grown from 66% in the previous survey (September 2022) to 73% now. The issues the public believe will get worse in the next few years also include NHS waiting lists, with 59% of the public saying this, followed by the cost of living (55%) and housing (53%). Other notable shifts since last year’s State of the State are around immigration and the country’s infrastructure. The percentage of the public who want to see improvements in how the UK controls its borders has risen in the past year from 37% to 43%, and the percentage concerned about the UK’s infrastructure has risen from 29% to 36%. On tax and spending, the survey found that the UK public’s attitude is split. Three in ten (31%) said the UK should aim for lower taxes and lower public spending, but only 17% think that will happen in the next few years. In contrast 30% would favour higher taxes to fund higher public spending and similar (31%) expect this government to do this. Charlotte Pickles, Director at Reform, said: “The public are deeply concerned about the state of public services, but most worrying for politicians, not only is there a sense that things are getting worse, the public do not believe things will improve any time soon. Yet at the same time, there is little appetite for more spending. That’s a difficult circle for any government to square.” Public priorities remain consistent across the nations Overall, across the nations in the UK, people in Scotland (30%) and Wales (24%) are slightly more optimistic about their government’s ability to deliver on net zero, compared to the UK government. The majority however are still not confident the goals will be met, according to the survey. The top two priorities of cost of living and NHS waiting lists are consistent across the four nations, but there are some differences on other areas. Most notable of all are that concerns around crime (48%) and immigration (45%) are significantly higher in England than the UK average. In Scotland the third biggest concerns are housing, growth and climate change (all 46%), in Wales the third issue is jobs and economy (48%) and in Northern Ireland it is social care for the elderly and vulnerable (49%).

Perdue Farms truck driver Robert Timmons, who has been with the fourth-generation, family-owned U.S. food and agricultural products company for 44 years, is celebrating four million accident-free driving miles professionally for Perdue. In the company’s almost 104-year history, he is the second driver to achieve this milestone. Timmons, who goes by the handle Holly Trolly on the road, commented: “I am so excited that I achieved four million miles of safe driving. I’m excited and proud that I was able to do this while working at Perdue." Timmons is part of Perdue’s nearly 800 certified professional drivers who are the heart of the company and touch every part of the supply chain. At Perdue, there have been 184 Perdue drivers who have reached one million accident-free miles; 45 are two million safe-mile drivers; and 12 have achieved three million accident-free miles. Timmons joins Alvin Smith as the company’s only four million safe-mile drivers. Tim O’Hea, senior director of transportation for Perdue Farms, commented: “Our drivers are among our most visible brand ambassadors and have the most direct contact with our customers." “Robert achieving four million safe driving miles in just 43 years is no small feat and is a testament to his dedication not only to Perdue but also to our customers and those he shares the roads with every day.” Throughout his time at the company, Timmons has delivered dressed poultry from Salisbury to Lewiston, North Carolina, delivered live haul and oil, has been an over the road driver delivering as far west as Iowa and throughout the entire Perdue marketplace and currently delivers local short haul loads. When he is not on the road, Timmons spends time with his children and grandchildren and enjoys carpentry. He is currently building an addition to his home in Salisbury. He also enjoys cruises and has been on 16.

The Cornish Arms, owned by St Austell Brewery and run by husband and wife duo John and Emma Hooker, has scooped second place in the prestigious Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropub list. The pub which is set on the foothills of Dartmoor in the stannary town of Tavistock has continued to move up the rankings over the years for its delicious food and top-quality dishes. On the pub, the Estrella Damm listing states: “The Cornish Arms is a gastropub that serves the simplest of food crafted with the highest care. “The pub serves unpretentious, mouth-watering dishes, featuring superb local produce which has bumped them all the way up to number two [on the list] in the UK.” Since opening in 2013 the pub has gone from strength to strength, having been placed as one of the top 50 Gastro Pubs in the UK within six months of opening. In 2014 the pub gained a Michelin Bib Gourmand which has been retained to date. 2015 saw the pub win Food Pub of the Year at the annual St Austell estate award and John was named Chef of the Year in the Coveted Trencherman's awards. At the start of 2016 at the annual St Austell estate awards The Cornish Arms was named Customer Service Pub of the Year. 2023 the pub won the food magazine readers award for best dining pub. With John’s 25 years of experience as a chef, having held 3AA Rosettes, featured in the Good Food Guide, competing on BBC 2’s Great British Menu in 2010 and 2011, he makes the most of the best ingredients from the South West cooked with the seasons produce and using classic combinations with big hearty flavours. On placing second on the respected list, John said: “We’re buzzing – it’s a phenomenal achievement." “For us, we cook for our customers first and make sure we have a commercially viable business - particularly in this current climate - but to get the accolades is the icing on the cake." “When Emma and I first took on the Cornish Arms 10 years ago we thought it was going to be us taking on a great pub in our hometown that we would want to go and visit ourselves, but it’s turned into this gastronomic destination now which is amazing. It’s mind-blowing really.” The Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs has been running since 2009 with the purpose of recognising the best in the gastropubs industry. The list is voted on by 100 industry professionals, with judges coming from leading pub businesses, editors of media brands and food writers across the UK. Photo credit: Nick Hook.