A £3,500 donation from a Lake District hotel group has helped a local school complete the installation of a composting toilet and outbuilding alongside its sports field. English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues has been working with Beetham C of E Primary School on the project to build the composting toilet, with the donation adding to fundraising efforts to cover the installation costs. The addition of the outdoor composting toilet means that the school’s teachers can deliver a greater variety of lessons using the recreational field and for longer periods with minimal disruption when pupils need to go back into the main building to use the facilities. The project has also involved environmental and educational themes with the school working with English Lakes Hotels to certify the composting toilet under the Toilet Twinning partnership between development charities Cord and Tearfund. The facility will be paired with a purpose-built latrine in a third world country to give an overseas community access to clean water and sanitation. Beetham C of E Primary School head teacher Abi Johnson says: “As a small school on the edge of Arnside and Silverdale Area of Outstanding National Beauty, we nurture a friendly and caring environment and we’re constantly looking for ways to improve our grounds and facilities for our students.” “We’re very grateful to English Lakes Hotels for getting involved in the project and making such a significant donation. The Toilet Twinning idea has also provided a strong, caring educational theme on overseas development and sanitation for the students to consider.” The donation from the hotel group was made via its Sam’s Club Charity which supports local charities and good causes. Adam Bujok from English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues adds: “We were invited to tour the school and were really impressed with their plans to improve their facilities. The composting toilet and outbuilding was an ideal project to help fund as it dovetails with our commitment to the Toilet Twinning initiative which provides clean water to poor communities and helps reduce spread of disease and premature deaths.”

In his role as the Prime Minister’s trade envoy to Australia, iconic former cricketer Lord Botham OBE visited Sound Leisure in Leeds. The manufacturer of classic jukeboxes, which has exported to Australia for over 20 years, has sold 15 of its jukeboxes to Australia in the last 12 months. Employing more than 40 people at its Leeds head office and manufacturing centre, the £5m revenue family-owned Sound Leisure has again been named as an Export Champion for 2023 and sells 80% of its products overseas to customers in over 40 countries worldwide, including Australia, the US and Japan. Celebrities, royalty and famous athletes are among the buyers of its retro-design state of the art vinyl and digital jukeboxes. “Sound Leisure is a mainly export business, and anytime we can move forward our knowledge of overseas markets, and share our experiences and insights with other exporters and businesses, we grab the opportunity,” said Sound Leisure director Mike Black. Mr Black escorted Lord Botham on a tour of the firm’s state-of-the-art, 80,000 sq ft manufacturing facility, where he was shown how Sound Leisure classic jukeboxes are meticulously hand built by a team of skilled craftsmen. Mike Black said: “It was great to welcome Lord Botham to our factory today and he was really impressed to see the levels of skill and craftsmanship that go into building these intricate and innovative machines which we have been producing here in Leeds for 45 years.” “We’re a family-run British manufacturing business and exports, including to Australia, make up a huge amount of our business. We’re proud to have been named an Export Champion for the Northern Powerhouse once again this year by the Department of Business and Trade.” Lord Botham’s role as trade envoy is an unpaid and voluntary one, aimed at boosting British business in Australia. The factory tour was followed by an Export Champions round table, organised by the Department of Business and Trade and held at the Sound Leisure manufacturing facility.

Outdoor shading manufacturer, Caribbean Blinds, has partnered with a number of new installers following their successful debut at this year’s FIT Show – the UK’s only dedicated event for the window, door, hardware and flat glass industry. As the country’s number one fabricator and installer trade exhibition, the FIT Show celebrated its ten year anniversary at the NEC Birmingham from the 23rd to 25th May. Acting as the perfect platform to showcase their entire award-winning range of luxury external shading systems including patio awnings, louvered roofs and external blinds, Caribbean Blinds’ stand allowed installers to see and feel the superior quality and finishing touches of their products first-hand. The Sudbury based firm also introduced their latest awning and pergola sales aids, including sample kits that enable installers to effortlessly sell their products. Caribbean Blinds’ louvered roof pergolas attracted the most interest from installers over the course of the three-day event, with a total of 239 installers registering as partners at the show, and 10% investing in sampling there and then. Managing Director at Caribbean Blinds, Stuart Dantzic, commented: “Now is the ideal time for installers to be offering a complete glazing package – including shading – due to a number of factors including climate change, legislation and importantly, ongoing trends in consumer behaviour.” “Wherever glazing is installed, there is an opportunity and need for external shading. Our products are a natural addition to an installer’s product portfolio, increasing average sale values and boosting profits as a result. The two products go hand-in-hand, so the show was a natural fit for us to showcase our solutions to the sector.” “Our team thoroughly enjoyed meeting so many forward-thinking installers who were looking to grow their sales with the addition of external shading…so much so that we have signed up to the next FIT Show in 2025!” Caribbean Blinds is committed to helping installers maximise sales of external shading in conjunction with glazing and providing a profitable additional revenue stream as a result. The team strongly believes that the reason for the high registration rate was due to the ease of adding their products to any range, including their dedicated installer academy, the use of their own delivery vehicles and their two-week UK manufacture guarantee. Since completing on its 10,000sq/ft factory extension at the end of 2022, Caribbean Blinds has not only onboarded six new members of staff – with plans to recruit six more – but the company’s ability to hold much higher levels of stock has reduced both price volatility and lead times.

There are plenty of benefits of having the next generation work outside of the family business for part of their career progression. Australia’s next generation of family business owners should consider working in another company, and maybe even another field, before returning to the family brand. Each offspring, no matter how strong the bond with the family, should build on their formal education and test their skills in the open market, work for a new boss or two, and establish a threshold of responsibility to implement their own ideas. Outside experience is healthy for individuals and the business. The specifics of the outside job are probably less important than the journey away from home. Of course, professional positions in sales, production, marketing, human resources, research or other operational fields can be very constructive. Young workers need to understand the value of uncertainty and meritocracy, both of which might be lacking when your surname is written on the company building. If the new job is in the same industry, the future successor can develop his/her own personal network and learn crucial skills — maybe even gain first-hand knowledge of useful ideas from competitors. A job outside the same industry as the family business can be equally useful, especially if the next genner has always wondered what life outside the family industry is like. An added bonus: young people get the chance to be young and possibly foolish away from the eyes and ears of their future colleagues or employees. Most children share certain passions with their parents, but most have different interests, too. Much like a university experience, the next generation worker will benefit from being around those who share their interests and passions. They may even find someone of similar mind and talent to incorporate into the family business down the road. The larger the family business, the more important it is for future leaders to have a sense of working for someone you aren’t related to. No matter how objective and fair-minded the parent, a child won’t get a true sense of that independence and perspective while shaded by the family umbrella. In numerous surveys, Family Business Australia and KPMG have found that successful family businesses tend to have children who are more educated and worldly than the general population. “More than 75 per cent of respondents had completed some vocational or tertiary training after leaving school,” one survey found. “These figures are significantly higher than those of the population at large.” One participant said that businesses don’t just benefit in the long run when the next generation initially leaves the business. The short run benefits can be felt in the current staff. “It’s also good for the other staff in the business, who can see a clear prerequisite for family members to join the business,” said the unnamed participant. “In turn, it’s better for the culture of the business.” There are obvious benefits whenever the next generation eventually return to the business. “If a role is created just for you,” said another participant, “instead of a real business need, then it makes it more difficult to build respect with other staff.” Another study found “group participants agreed that entry rules regarding education and experience should be encouraged and even written up formally for future generations.” Stories Of Success Ross Brown, third son of John Charles and Patricia Brown, has known the wine trade his entire life. His family business, Brown Brothers Winery, has been an institution in northeast Victoria since 1889. Ross served as CEO for ten years before moving to executive director in 2011, and he stresses the importance of long-term planning — for business and for family. “In our business we plant a vine to make wine in five or six years’ time,” Ross said in an interview, explaining why family members must work a minimum of four years at another organisation before moving returning to the Brown family business. In a separate interview with Drinks Trade Insight, Ross reaffirmed his belief in the outside work requirement. “It has the potential to continue to bring outside skills and knowledge back into the business.” The Brown Brothers family formalised an outside work requirement into a non-negotiable clause, and it keeps their family values codified for each generation to share and keeps the next generation from becoming complacent. Sheree Sullivan, director and manager of Udder Delights in South Australia, said outside work was critical for the business’ early survival. Her father and mother, Trevor and Estelle Dunford, started the company in 1995 with just two goats. Sheree and her husband Saul bought 50 per cent of the company 10 years later and says her family’s success can be traced to its “migrant model”. Everyone, including her parents, worked outside jobs when the business was getting off the ground. There, they learned “a unique and very diverse skill set,” says Sheree, including business administration and equipment maintenance.

A prestigious Staffordshire school is putting careers for women in engineering centre stage with a series of innovative and fun education days. In the run up to International Women in Engineering Day on June 23rd, The JCB Academy at Rocester has joined forces with world-renowned digger maker JCB to encourage girls from across the county to consider careers in engineering. Almost 400 Year 6 girls from schools across Staffordshire and Derbyshire visited the Academy for a day of inspirational talks from JCB graduates and apprentices as well as engineering experiments to spark their imaginations. The youngsters built giant towers using spaghetti and took part in an Egg Crash Challenge as part of their interactive taster day. The JCB Academy Principal Jenny McGuirk said: “Year on year the number of girls choosing to study at The JCB Academy is rising but we still have more to do. Events like this give the Year 6 girls a real taste of what engineering is all about; problem-solving, innovating and having great fun at the same time.” “The girls also got to meet some great role models, working with our own female students as well as apprentices and graduates who are forging fantastic careers in engineering and business with JCB. The event is also supported by The Institute of Engineering and Technology and Loughborough University who both champion this important issue.” JCB Early Careers Scheme Leader Holly Broadhurst added: “The number of female engineers at JCB is growing and while 20% of our early careers recruits are now female, we are not complacent and work hard to encourage more women into what has historically been viewed as a male profession. Changing these perceptions is a long-term goal and by supporting The JCB Academy and engaging with the next generation we can show girls that engineering is a great career path for everyone.”

Allied Vehicles, one of Glasgow’s most prominent employers, has demonstrated commitment to its local community with more than £88,000 in donations to charities and good causes in almost 18 months. When he launched the Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust in January 2022, company owner Gerry Facenna said he wanted to give back something to the Possilpark community where Allied was established 30 years ago and is still based today. He pledged £10,000 in donations every month, which was recently raised to £20,000. Since its launch, the Trust has given a total of £88,200 to charities and causes in Possilpark and north Glasgow, which are in the top 20 of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation. Three causes in the area are included in the latest donations from AVCT – Keppoch Nursery, Love Milton and the Milton Rattlers – benefitting by more than £5,000. Keppoch Nursery in Possilpark approached AVCT seeking support for their efforts to develop an outdoor play area on campus, called the Gruffalo Garden. Most of their children live in flats with little, or no, access to a safe outdoor space, and the nursery said it wanted to address that, as well as train their team in outdoor play. The AVCT staff committee, who with Gerry decides which causes to support, agreed to give them £3,500, described by nursery head Kelly McLaughlin as “fantastic news”. She said: “This will definitely help to benefit the children’s outdoor learning experience.” “The amazing donation of £3500 from AVCT will help us to develop our Gruffalo Garden into an exciting outdoor space where our young children can safely participate in adventurous play, we are absolutely delighted with this news. Thank you AVCT, it means so much to us!” Another beneficiary is Love Milton, a charity that tries to combat the symptoms and causes of deprivation in Milton, to make it a better place to live with more opportunities for locals to develop their interests. They arrange year-round community events including Milton Gala Day, and Allied gave them £1,000 towards these. Project Coordinator Marina Costello told AVCT: “Thank you so much, this will help get people back together over the summer for free activities.” Last year, the committee were tickled by a handwritten letter from Raymond Hunter, chairman of a group for local elderly people, the Milton Rattlers, and gave them £750 to help their day trip to Largs. He had gone into Allied, in Balmore Road, Glasgow, and handed the letter to a man he described as “the manager”, who turned out to be Gerry. The Rattlers – so-called for the noise their various medications make when they move around – returned this year, when Raymond gave their handwritten note to someone else. He told them: “We had such a great time in Largs last year that we’d like to do something similar this year and wondered if you could help.” The AVCT agreed and gave them another £750, for which they were promised another hand-scripted thank-you note. Glasgow’s Lord Provost Jacqueline McLaren said: “Allied is a familiar local business and it’s fantastic that this firm is supporting the local community. I know these donations mean a great deal to those that receive them. They’re helping improve people’s lives and bring joy in these difficult times.” Gerry said he was delighted that Allied has been able to support the local community. “Allied Vehicles plays a significant role in the local economy and I feel very strongly that we should give something back to the place where we’ve prospered.” “Many different charities and causes have benefitted since we launched the Trust and we’ll continue to support them – and others – for the foreseeable future.”

A £3,500 donation from a Lake District hotel group has helped a local school complete the installation of a composting toilet and outbuilding alongside its sports field. English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues has been working with Beetham C of E Primary School on the project to build the composting toilet, with the donation adding to fundraising efforts to cover the installation costs. The addition of the outdoor composting toilet means that the school’s teachers can deliver a greater variety of lessons using the recreational field and for longer periods with minimal disruption when pupils need to go back into the main building to use the facilities. The project has also involved environmental and educational themes with the school working with English Lakes Hotels to certify the composting toilet under the Toilet Twinning partnership between development charities Cord and Tearfund. The facility will be paired with a purpose-built latrine in a third world country to give an overseas community access to clean water and sanitation. Beetham C of E Primary School head teacher Abi Johnson says: “As a small school on the edge of Arnside and Silverdale Area of Outstanding National Beauty, we nurture a friendly and caring environment and we’re constantly looking for ways to improve our grounds and facilities for our students.” “We’re very grateful to English Lakes Hotels for getting involved in the project and making such a significant donation. The Toilet Twinning idea has also provided a strong, caring educational theme on overseas development and sanitation for the students to consider.” The donation from the hotel group was made via its Sam’s Club Charity which supports local charities and good causes. Adam Bujok from English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues adds: “We were invited to tour the school and were really impressed with their plans to improve their facilities. The composting toilet and outbuilding was an ideal project to help fund as it dovetails with our commitment to the Toilet Twinning initiative which provides clean water to poor communities and helps reduce spread of disease and premature deaths.”

Mitre has been announced as the official match ball supplier for The Soccer Tournament (TST), a ground-breaking world soccer championship set to kick off tomorrow, June 1, 2023. The tournament, featuring a winner-take-all prize of $1 million, will showcase 32 teams from around the world, including prominent clubs from the UK, Europe, and Asia, competing in an intense 7v7 high-stakes knockout competition. This partnership will see the supply of 400 Mitre Ultimax Pro footballs used across the four-day event, marking a significant milestone for the brand. The Mitre Ultimax Pro, an acclaimed FIFA Quality Pro approved ball, will proudly display the tournament logo, symbolizing the brand’s commitment to excellence and innovation. Simon Rowe, VP global sports marketing at Mitre, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “We’re thrilled that the Mitre Ultimax Pro will be the official match ball for The Soccer Tournament! It’s a new and disruptive competition, and we’re excited to be at the heart of it in its inaugural year. This latest move will further drive brand awareness and distribution in the US, including with our lead retailer soccer.com.“ The Soccer Tournament, hosted in Cary, North Carolina, aims to become the defining world championship for 7v7 football. With its unprecedented million-dollar prize, the event promises thrilling moments that will capture the attention of soccer fans worldwide. Among the notable teams participating are UK representatives Wrexham Red Dragons, West Ham United, and Wolverhampton Wanderers, as well as Champions League club Borussia Dortmund, esports and football club Hashtag United, Clint Dempsey’s Team Dempsey, and historic Liga MX side Club Necaxa. Jon Mugar, CEO and co-founder of TST, expressed his excitement saying, “We’re excited to partner with Mitre on our inaugural event. We know there will be many memorable moments throughout the competition, not the least of which will be someone kicking a ball into a net for $1 million dollars on Sunday, June 4. There was no option but to make that ball as high quality as Mitre.” Mitre’s involvement as the official match ball sponsor sets the stage for an unforgettable competition filled with suspense and extraordinary sporting achievements.

As part of a commitment to improve quality of life in our communities, Perdue Farms associates in Salisbury, Maryland, rolled up their sleeves and volunteered on a Habitat for Humanity Women’s Build Project in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Wicomico County. Volunteers worked on a new home project in a neighborhood where Habitat has built numerous houses, including several in partnership with Perdue. Perdue’s participation is part of the company’s Delivering Hope to Our Neighbors® outreach to improve quality of life and build strong communities. Perdue provided a $2,000 sponsorship of the two-day project during which volunteers helped put some of the finishing touches on the house. “This is another testament to the unbelievable donations and support we get from the community,” said Molly Hilligross, executive director of Habitat for Humanity Wicomico County. “We’re grateful for the ongoing support of Perdue and its associates for taking the time to attend our Women Build.” A family of six, including four children, will soon call the four-bedroom house their home and fulfil their dream of home ownership. “It’s been wonderful that we’ve had this opportunity to be involved,” said Carrie Johnson, Perdue transportation manager. “Just seeing the family, and knowing that they’re going to get their own home, their own place, especially for the children, it’s an amazing feeling.”

Speed awareness initiatives in two East Staffordshire villages are stepping up a gear thanks to support from JCB. The digger giant is helping fund solar powered Speed Indicator Devices (SIDS) on the main routes through Stubwood and Ellastone villages close to its World Headquarters at Rocester. The road safety signs, which use radar to detect and display a vehicle’s speed, have been installed by Denstone and Ellastone Parish Councils, each with £5,000 support from JCB. JCB Chief Operating Officer Mark Turner said: “As one of the area’s major employers we are determined to help make the roads in our local villages as safe as possible for the community. Irrespective of whether it’s local people, JCB employees, or drivers going to and from Alton Towers, speeding in our neighbouring villages is not acceptable.” Denstone and Ellastone Parish Council Chairs Jessica Turner and Robert Watkin said: “Over the years we have become increasingly worried about motorists speeding through our villages; for a long time it has felt like an accident waiting to happen.” “The SIDS signs are a great road safety resource and are definitely a step in the right direction towards ensuring drivers slow down and put safety first. We are very grateful for JCB’s support in helping us tackle the problem and making our roads safer for everyone.”

Perdue Farms, the fourth-generation, family-owned, U.S. food and agriculture company, has provided consumers with high-quality, premium protein for over 100 years and today announced the debut of its first-ever custom in-house seasoning: The Farmhouse Blend. Featuring a proprietary blend of herbs and spices, the company’s newest offering is all consumers need to elevate their fresh chicken dishes to a whole new level this grilling season. As experts in protein, Perdue Farms knows exactly what it takes to make favorites like grilled chicken taste delicious – and that there is no better way to show off one’s cooking skills in the summer than on the grill. The all-in-one blend combines the flavors of roasted garlic and herbs with the savory essence of umami to deepen the flavor and perfectly complement the protein so that no other seasonings are needed to serve up flavorful chicken this summer. Suffice to say, friends and family will have high praise for the grill master. “At Perdue Farms, we pride ourselves on providing customers with solutions in the kitchen – whether that is in the form of high-quality, premium protein raised with no antibiotics ever, or this new seasoning blend, which was developed fully in-house,” said Chris Perdue, Vice President of Direct-to-Consumer Marketing at Perdue Farms and fourth-generation Perdue family member. “Our Farmhouse Blend Seasoning takes the guessing game out of the perfect combination of spices and herbs to enhance the flavors of fresh chicken and will be a delicious staple for your meals this grilling season.” Farmhouse Blend Seasoning is available now in 3.25-oz. bottles for $6.99 USD on PerdueFarms.com, alongside items from Perdue’s premium protein portfolio including chicken, beef, and pork, as well as seafood, side dish, and dessert options.

As part of a commitment to help its food insecure neighbors, Perdue Farms has awarded a $10,000 grant to the Community Action of Skagit County in Mount Vernon, Washington, through the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation. The donation from Perdue’s charitable giving arm is part of the company’s Delivering Hope to Our Neighbors® outreach to improve quality of life and build strong communities. Perdue Farms is the parent company of Draper Valley Farms in Mount Vernon, home to local brands DRAPER VALLEY FARMS®, ROXY® The Organic Chicken and RANGER® The Free Range Chicken. The grant supports Community Action’s Skagit Food Distribution Center (SFDC), the centralized distributor of bulk items and fresh food in Skagit, Island, and Snohomish counties in Washington. The center supports 19 food banks and hot meal programs and accounts for up to 80 percent of the items available at local food banks. The program serves 27,500 people monthly. “Food insecurity affects our region’s most under-resourced populations, including individuals and families facing economic vulnerability, those living within food deserts, and older adults living in isolated areas of rural eastern Skagit County,” said Bill Henkel, Community Action’s executive director.” “Funding from the Perdue Foundation will support the operations of the SFDC as it works toward its goal of providing more fresh and nutritious food to community members through our region’s food banks and hot meal programs." Kim Nechay, executive director of the Perdue Foundation, said Skagit Food Distribution Center provides a vital service. “The center helps older adults and families with children and many others in need,” she said. “The Perdue Foundation is happy to support its programs.”