Ahead of World Tourism Day, 27 September, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has presented a plan to shore-up tourism in the UK through reviving high streets and town centres by better supporting small businesses on them to start-up and flourish. The move will advance economic, social and cultural enrichment to local areas across the UK, including job creation. With almost half (44%) of all small tourism and hospitality businesses being on, or next to, the high street in the UK, reimagining and reviving high streets for the future is fundamental to a thriving tourism industry. Over half (57%) of small hospitality businesses say that the establishment of new tourist attractions or cultural events in the area would be one of the biggest opportunities for the high street, according to a large-scale survey by FSB. Now, FSB’s blueprint, The Future of the High Street, sets out achievable recommendations to make high streets more accessible and attractive, offering a wider range of experiences from innovative small businesses to bolster tourism. FSB Policy Chair Tina McKenzie said: “Small tourism and hospitality businesses bring in revenue and create employment, but they also establish a better market for small businesses across other sectors." “High streets are more than just commercial spaces; they’re destinations in their own right and are inextricably linked to our tourism industry. To support the industry we must do more, as a nation, to make radical policy change to breathe a new lease of life into our high streets.” Recommendations put forward include availability of affordable commercial space, which FSB says will not only fill vacant sites but also provide opportunities for small firms eager to launch on the high street; and calls for local authorities to create specialised funds to support pop-ups, markets, and temporary use initiatives for first-time businesses. This would encourage new ventures and help with their transition onto the high street. Tina McKenzie said: “Attracting tourism to more high streets throughout the country by having modern and well-planned infrastructure, such as transport and parking; a unique variety of tourist attractions such as independent retailers, eateries and experience, would fuel economic growth. Every high street has a unique heritage and feel, but they all have one thing in common – the need for policies to make them safer, more peaceful, cleaner and more appealing and exciting.” FSB also says that the Department of Culture, Media and Sport should work to encourage VisitBritain, Visit England and local visitor economy partnerships to prominently feature Britain’s local high streets as destinations in international tourism campaigns. This would invigorate the potential for tourism in new localities outside the typical tourist hot spots. In 2023, 38 million international tourists visited Britain, spending £31.1bn, with an average spend per visit of £819. Visits were below pre-pandemic levels by seven per cent.

A 17th century thatched pub in Exeter has had a glorious makeover as well as launching an exciting new menu from Michelin-trained head chef Robert Palmer and team. Work has been underway at The Blue Ball Inn behind Sandy Park stadium to knock down its existing lean to which served as an outdoor seating area, replacing it with an impressive new glass topped extension. The addition to the St Austell Brewery-owned pub will mean diners can enjoy a bright and airy space for dining or hire it out for events. The transformation also include a spruce up with a more sophisticated colour scheme and décor throughout, cosy drinking spaces in the main pub and bigger toilet facilities for customers. To mark the reveal, tenants Adam Holland and Natalie Radford will be throwing a party, which will also coincide with the five-year anniversary of Adam and Natalie taking on the pub. Adam said: “The addition of the new orangery has really transformed the space, opening up our dining area with a beautifully designed permanent area for people to come and enjoy." “The investment from St Austell Brewery to revamp our space was much needed and has exceeded our expectations of how much it enhances the pub. We can’t wait for people to come and enjoy it!” The space has been kitted out to provide 44 more dining covers, adding to its existing 80 covers. The team has also taken on new chefs and created a fresh menu using the best of Devon produce – and they’re working towards gaining a coveted rosette. Natalie added: “The pub’s overhaul has tied all the spaces together. People have been coming in and commenting on just how great it looks – it really has the wow factor. We’ve even had emails praising the makeover, which we have been blown away with. Our customers are in for a real treat when they come to visit us.” The pub, which is popular with locals and rugby fans due to its proximity to Exeter Chiefs’ stadium, also has a large beer garden complete with a festival style stretch tent and sheltered areas for outdoor drinking and dining, as well as a large grassy car park which welcomes Britstop campers. There special event will take place at the Blue Ball on September 28th. There will be live music from Cal Fousler, face painting, a barbeque, cocktails and a bouncy castle (weather permitting) from 4-6pm.

An agency that puts how a brand ‘feels’ at the heart of all it does has been behind the recent brand refresh by UK hotel group, Exclusive Collection, who this month unveiled a new website enhancing the guest and member experience across its seven country house hotels and estates and welcomed new Midlands location, Ansty Hall, into the fold. BrandSensory® , a specialist brand agency that deploys a sensory-led approach to create authentic, memorable brand experiences, has been working with the hotel group since April 2022 on the revised brand strategy. Led by industry veteran Gerri Hansen, the work was designed to capture the essence of family-owned Exclusive Collection, provide clarity and distinctiveness for the brands within the group, and position the company for continued growth and success. The work involved a thorough audit of the 27-strong house of brands within Exclusive Collection’s framework, exploring existing brand perceptions, attributes and assets. After which followed a programme of sensory-led workshops, research and development from which BrandSensory® was able to devise a revised segment-led architecture, redesigning each brand distinctively within a connected framework, united by the overarching company values and purpose. Key elements of the new brand strategy include: A focus on guest experience over product , as seen in a series of sensory-led brand films, new immersive website, refreshed identities and interior design cues across the Collection, notably the reimagination of Ansty Hall. Bespoke sensory profiles for each property to inform design , experience, and product offerings across the group and strengthen memorability, loyalty and referral. Redesigned propositions and brand attributes linking the brands but providing distinctive marketing territories for each within the group. New key messages that reinforce each property’s distinctive products and experiences. Revised story-led brand guidelines designed to celebrate authenticity and story-telling within each property, with briefings to all staff to deepen ambassadorship. New tone-of-voice characteristics and guidelines designed to create more human and friendly relationship with guests, with copywritten brand stories to support marketing activations. Stephanie Hall, Group Director of Sales & Marketing , says: “We wanted a fresh approach that would help us to articulate the unique characteristics of our properties. Our guests are increasingly discerning, and so we are always looking to innovate in our sector and offer them something more, better. The BrandSensory approach is so refreshing, allowing us to tell our story genuinely but challenge us too, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the process as much as the output.” Gerri Hansen, founder and director of BrandSensory® said: “This work was so rewarding. The group of brands had a huge opportunity to stand out in the marketplace and often competed against each other. The work we have done now lays the ground for a new kind of experience between brand and customer, one which has many opportunities for meaningful connection and memorability." "By crafting distinctive sensory attributes we’ve been able to create richly compelling narratives and stimulus across the Collection – and I’m looking forward to what will follow as the strategy embeds further into the guest experience.” BrandSensory® is an independent consultancy. Their unique approach takes learnings from neuroscience to build, codify and embed sensory-led strategies and experiences for brands to drive memorability, loyalty and deeper customer relationships. Following a visual identity and name change in Summer 2019, Exclusive Collection felt there was an opportunity to better articulate each of the hotels’ rich histories and distinct product offerings and the business’ central purpose of ‘creating happiness in amazing places’. Having engaged BrandSensory in April 2022, the work culminates in the creation of a series of sensory-led brand films, new immersive website and, most recently, the design approach for the redesigned Ansty Hall, which has benefited from Gerri’s unique approach in crafting distinctive brand experiences on property as well as on paper. Credited: ‘Eat, Shoot and Leaves for Exclusive Collection’

The international transport and logistics company Gebrüder Weiss has expanded its location network in Romania. South-east of Bucharest, in Popesti-Leordeni, the logistics provider has officially launched operations at a new terminal, following a major investment of 20 million euros. Wolfram Senger-Weiss, CEO of Gebrüder Weiss commented: “The second location complements our existing facility west of the capital in Bolintin-Deal, thus facilitating an even more efficient distribution of goods in the metropolitan area. In this way, we offer first-rate conditions to provide even better logistics support to Romania’s emerging economy.” The modern terminal has an area of around 19,000 square meters for warehouse logistics, transshipment, administration, and favorable transport connections to the Black Sea port of Constanta and neighboring Bulgaria. It is equipped with heat pumps, and the installation of a photovoltaic (PV) system is under consideration for the future, along with charging stations for electric vehicles. One of the location’s customers is an international paint manufacturer, for whom Gebrüder Weiss stores 12,000 pallets for distribution across the country. “The increasing traffic load in the capital requires a two-terminal solution enabling us to supply the metropolitan area from two geographic directions, thus making the distribution of goods more efficient,” Country Manager Viorel Leca explains. In the first six months of 2024, the new hub handled 78,000 shipments with a total weight of more than 35,000 tons. “In light of our current warehouse occupancy rate of 70%, we are planning to expand our client portfolio in the near future. The purchased land, with a total area of 70,000 square meters, allows us to build additional storage and cross-dock spaces, depending on future projects", Viorel Leca added. 30th anniversary of Gebrüder Weiss Romania The opening of the new terminal coincides with Gebrüder Weiss celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of its entry into the market in Romania. Gebrüder Weiss operates a comprehensive network of 13 locations across the country’s key economic regions. “Over the past 30 years, Romania’s economic development has been impressive, and the country has become a sought-after manufacturing location. We are going to support the growth of industry and commerce in Romania with our logistics know-how into the future,” says Thomas Moser, Director and Regional Manager Black Sea/CIS at Gebrüder Weiss. In the past year, 700 employees handled some 1.1 million shipments. Customers include international companies in the automotive, technology, and consumer goods sectors. From its Romanian locations, the logistics provider operates transports by truck to Germany, France, Hungary, and the Czech Republic and handles air and sea freight transports to destinations all over the world.

As the conversation around mental health in the workplace continues to gain momentum, it’s becoming increasingly clear that employee wellbeing is not just a nice-to-have but a critical factor in fostering a productive, loyal and engaged workforce. However, despite a growing awareness of the importance of happiness at work, many employees still struggle due to inconsistent support and a lack of genuine commitment from their organisations. Leading psychotherapist Nathan Shearman, director of therapy and training at Red Umbrella, speaks ahead of International Week of Happiness at Work, highlighting the profound impact that workplace environments have on mental health. The impact of inadequate support in the workplace “We spend a huge portion of our lives at work,” begins Nathan. “If it’s an environment where we don’t feel supported or cared about, where we can’t be our authentic selves, or where our emotions don’t matter, then it can quickly become a source of negative thoughts and feelings." “When employees’ issues aren’t met with support and understanding, they can easily feel like they’re not good enough, impacting self-worth and exacerbating existing mental health struggles." “And because work can play such a prominent role in our lives, if employees who are experiencing mental health issues are encouraged and facilitated in accessing support, this can help them overcome any barriers to seeking help, having a positive effect on their lives overall." Why are so many employees still unhappy at work? “Happiness is tied into a number of factors, and it’s important to remember that happiness at work can also be impacted by factors outside of work. Having a safe and supportive workplace environment with a positive mental health culture can help to balance out issues outside of work, or at least provide some distraction from them." “Part of the reason why many employees are unhappy at work is because support and understanding isn’t there, or it’s not consistent." “Having a line manager that doesn’t understand that an employee’s performance might be down because they're experiencing stress or anxiety, and is giving them a hard time about not hitting targets as a result, is going to significantly affect their levels of happiness, compared to a line manager who shows empathy and asks what support they might need." “Part of this comes down to training. Managers don’t always know how to respond to someone who is struggling. Even if they are naturally supportive and empathic, when faced with KPIs many managers don’t know how to be consistent in their approach and show good leadership skills around mental health, which is obviously facilitated by training." “Studies show that the main thing that makes an employee happy at work is often whether they feel their company is supportive of them. Companies that put support in place like EAPs, training, and mental health initiatives, find that their workforce rate their happiness at work higher, compared to companies that offer no support, or just provide tick-box resources.” Are employers still treating employee mental wellbeing as a tick-box exercise? “Many organisations are becoming aware of the importance, and the ROI, of mental wellbeing initiatives, yet there are still many companies that will see it something to ‘be done’ rather than to be engaged with. So, they might train up mental health first aiders, but then don’t empower them to make a difference in the organisation. Or, they might pay for an EAP, but don’t encourage staff to utilise it or engage with it." “Employees know the difference between a company paying lip service to mental wellbeing – the ones who do something for mental health awareness week, and then nothing the rest of the year – and those who truly care about making a difference. This leads to staff being disengaged from the company, less trustful and ultimately more likely to take their talents elsewhere." “The best way for employers to get out of the mindset of mental health being a tick-box exercise is to really think about how it affects employees. What are the risk factors that could cause stress and poor mental health within your business? What support is going to be most beneficial for your teams?" “Good mental health training providers and EAPs will work with you to understand your business’ needs and objectives, and to help you tailor solutions to ultimately help make a tangible positive impact to your workforce.”

French pâtissier Tipiak has improved the recipe of its authentic French macarons to create a more vibrant range for the UK food service sector. Each piece now contains more filling, is larger in size and has been enriched with added natural colouring for a brighter look. At the same time, the raspberry macaron has been given a more creamy filling. The new, improved French macarons, available frozen to the UK foodservice sector via distributor Central Foods, also have a longer defrost shelf life of five days when chilled and covered. In addition, just like all Tipiak products, the thaw and serve range uses Fairtrade chocolate and free-range egg white for its French macarons selection, which is certified gluten-free by the French Association of Gluten Intolerance (AFDIAG). Marie-Emmanuelle Chessé, international development project manager at Tipiak, said: “We are delighted to unveil our new, vibrant French macarons selection to the UK food service sector." "Macarons are the shining stars of pâtisserie, with their gorgeous colours and flavours, and their crisp shells and soft centres. Visually appealing and tasting absolutely divine, they’ve become a huge hit on social media with around 10 million posts on Instagram alone." “Our authentic Tipiak thaw and serve French macarons have been given a new recipe to make them even more attractive. They look stunning and are products that any food service operator would be proud to serve.” Each box of Tipiak French macarons contains 36 pieces in six different flavours – caramel and sea salt, lemon, chocolate, raspberry, vanilla, and pistachio - and are perfect for a range of food service scenarios from afternoon tea through to hot beverage accompaniments. Macarons are traditionally used in a café gourmand and can also be served as part of a light dessert or used to decorate cakes, shakes and other sweet treats. They are the ideal canvas to be decorated for special occasions like Easter, Christmas and Halloween. And with a diverse range of flavours, there is something to suit all tastes. Tipiak’s French macarons take just one hour to defrost in the fridge, plus 15 minutes at room temperature. Keep chilled and consume within five days. For more information about the Tipiak range available to the UK food service sector visit here .

Leading workwear and safety footwear brand TROJAN has launched its most inclusive range of safety shoes to date, including unisex work trainers that offer ‘true female fit’. The new TROJAN footwear range, available exclusively from Arco, has been designed in a modern style, reflecting the growing shift in consumer preferences from traditional safety boots and shoes to more stylish, casual trainers and hiker boots. Along with specific men’s and women’s options, the new collection includes unisex trainers that have been moulded on the contours of women’s feet in sizes 3-6, offering a true female fit. This makes it easier for a business to kit out their whole team with the same level of comfort, support and protection. The range includes five new styles, all made with lightweight materials and offering enhanced comfort and performance features such as improved footbeds. All five options meet the latest safety footwear standard (EN ISO 20345:2022), providing slip resistance and steel or composite toe protection and midsoles. The non-metallic styles incorporate advanced midsole materials to provide superior protection. Trojan products are tested in Arco’s own Product Assurance laboratory, the first UK testing lab able to carry out UKAS-accredited testing against impacts, compression, midsole perforation, slip resistance and electrical resistance of safety footwear certified to the revised standard. To help businesses achieve their sustainability goals, all styles in the new TROJAN footwear range incorporate recycled materials in the linings, laces and footbeds, with 45 per cent Global Recycled Standard (GRS) certified uppers. Becky Casson, buying director at Arco, said: “Arco is committed to leading the way in innovative and inclusive workplace solutions. This new Trojan footwear range not only modernises our footwear offerings but also reinforces our dedication to providing more inclusive workwear options." “We believe that every worker deserves footwear that fits well, looks great, and performs under pressure, and this collection delivers just that.” The TROJAN range is available exclusively from Arco.

Hill Cross Furniture, the family-owned contract furniture supplier, has opened a new showroom as it prepares for accelerated future growth. Rishi Sunak, Conservative MP for Richmond and Northallerton, conducted a ribbon-cutting ceremony and welcomed guests into the new showroom, which is based on the family farm at North Cowton near Northallerton. Mr Sunak MP also joined the Hill Cross team for its annual sports day. The showroom gives clients the opportunity to see Hill Cross Furniture products in person and view the wide variety of custom finishes available. Ranges displayed include bespoke banquette seating, manufactured on-site, and the Woodbender bent-wood seating range which Hill Cross Furniture are exclusive stockists of within the UK. Hill Cross Furniture is the leading supplier of bespoke contract furniture and banquette seating to the hospitality, healthcare, leisure, and workplace sectors. Established in 2000, from their farm in North Yorkshire they deliver nationwide and globally. They offer a one-stop shop for fixed, loose and bespoke contract furniture sourced from their trusted suppliers in the UK. 36 people work at Hill Cross Furniture supported by an eco-system of local suppliers, several of whom are also based at the farm, providing local employment, enhanced flexibility and quality control across the supply chain. The market-leading business now counts Kensington Palace, Grantley Hall, Swinton Park, Nando’s, Cote Restaurants, Wagamama, Alchemist, Watches of Switzerland, Co-op Live Arena, Newcastle United FC, Manchester City FC, The Restaurant Group, The Hoxton, Honest Burgers, Shake Shack and Formula One amongst its global client base. The North Yorkshire-based business recently moved to a group model following the acquisition of Tamarisk Designs, with expansion into new sectors including residential and luxury lounge furniture on the back of rising client demand. Tamarisk creates luxury furniture handcrafted in the UK utilising a blend of traditional techniques, cutting-edge technology, and high-quality material. Tamarisk works with retailers, interior designers as well as the contract sector to provide handmade furniture for domestic use and hotels. Rishi Sunak, Leader of the Opposition and Conservative MP for Richmond and Northallerton said: “Hill Cross is a really impressive operation. It is based in a very rural location but its customer base is global. It is great to see a family business develop in this way and I look forward to hearing of the company’s future success as it builds on strong foundations based on the evident talent of its staff.” Jen Barker, CEO and joint business owner with husband Richard Barker, the founder of Hill Cross Furniture, said: “I’m so proud to open our new showroom and it’s a privilege to have the former Prime Minister attend our official launch. It’s a real milestone as we look forward to celebrating our 25th anniversary next February." “Our goal is to deliver beautiful furniture and excellent service across all the sectors we operate in and the new showroom will support with this by allowing our clients to see our extensive range of furniture in person and meet our team." “We are well-known for the extensive range of quality furniture supplied alongside our exceptional project management and installation service. We are experiencing exciting growth which will see us expand into new sectors and we’re looking for new talent to join us due to new project wins.”

Sixth-generation family business, John Good Group , is thrilled to announce the extension of its sponsorship of The WFA Cup for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons. This two-year commitment follows the successful partnership established during the 2023/24 competition, reinforcing the company's dedication to supporting inclusive sports and community development. The WFA Cup, organised by The Wheelchair Football Association (WFA), is a premier domestic competition for Powerchair Football clubs across England. With a record-breaking 27 teams participating in the 2023/24 season, it has become one of the largest impairment-specific football tournaments globally. The competition follows a knockout format, culminating in a final held at St George's Park as part of the FA's Disability Cup Weekend. This extended partnership aims to significantly boost the growth and visibility of Powerchair Football throughout England. The competition will continue to be known as the John Good Group WFA Cup, building on the momentum generated during the inaugural sponsored season. With a record 27 teams competing in the 2023/24 season, The WFA Cup has become one of the largest impairment-specific football competitions in the world. Additionally, winning the Cup provides the champion with automatic qualification for the European Champions Cup every two years, offering the chance to compete internationally. Adam Walsh, CEO of John Good Group, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, "I'm delighted we've extended our partnership with The Wheelchair Football Association for the next two seasons of The WFA Cup. There's such good alignment with our group's core values of making a positive impact on people and communities and, having been inspired by the success of the 2023/24 competition, we're keen to now build on that momentum." Walsh continues, “As a family-owned company with nearly two centuries of history, we understand the importance of fostering long-term relationships and the platform for growth that they can create. Our commitment goes beyond mere sponsorship; it's about being an active partner in the Powerchair Football community and helping to create opportunities for players to compete and showcasing the incredible talent and determination of these athletes. We look forward to working closely with the WFA to innovate and expand this tournament in the years ahead, so watch this space." Dean Williams, WFA Chairperson, added, “What wonderful news. It was an absolute joy to partner with the John Good Group throughout last season's competition, watching them engage with our Powerchair Football family. A company with first-class values who are hell-bent on working with us to ensure that this prestigious tournament innovates season-on-season for our community. I'm so excited to work with them over the period to deliver an even better and bigger proposition.”

Clancy has been appointed to Lot 1 & Lot 2 of Southern Water’s Low Complexity Delivery Route (LCDR) Capital Infrastructure Framework to support the large-scale investment in sustainable infrastructure improvements planned through the upcoming AMP8 regulatory period. The contract will see Clancy continue its longstanding relationship with the water company and its suppliers to create a new collaborative framework that will deliver low complexity infrastructure design and build route schemes for Southern Water’s water and wastewater networks. The expected projects over both frameworks will consist of new water mains, sewer rising and gravity mains, infiltration reduction schemes, rehabilitation projects, growth and pump away schemes plus waste developer services and infrastructure projects. The family-run infrastructure specialist will provide its expertise to identify, design and implement low carbon or no build solutions, where possible, to promote both cost effectiveness and greener solutions, while reducing disruption and ensuring uninterrupted services for Southern Water’s customers. Clancy will also focus on factoring easy, cost-effective maintenance into the design of the capital investment projects through this framework to deliver greater efficiency in the long term. Reflecting Southern Water’s prioritisation of sustainable practices, Clancy is working to increase the proportion of its onsite energy generated by solar panels, as well as its use of hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) to power its plant, vehicles and equipment by contract start. Extended across Southern Water’s geographical portfolio, including the Isle of Wight, the framework will run for five years at a value of £400m across the two lots with the possibility of a three-year, extension. This is part of the water company’s largest investment period to date, as it improves its network resilience. Ronan Clancy, executive director at Clancy, commented: “The water sector is feeling pressure from all sides. Increasingly unpredictable weather and growing populations are placing rising demands on the network." "At the same time there is a requirement to keep customer bills low as we strengthen our ageing infrastructure. As a result, it’s essential that we find cost-effective and efficient solutions to upgrading assets and improving performance." “The new regulatory period presents an excellent opportunity for the industry to invest vital resources into expanding and reinforcing the integrity of the country’s pipelines. Clancy’s wealth of experience in delivering capital investment programmes, as well as in the maintenance of water and wastewater networks, means we are well-placed to support Southern Water in ensuring the network is resilient and efficient to maintain for the future.” Denver Knight, operations director at Clancy, said: “As we look ahead to AMP8, our long-standing expertise in the sector, our direct delivery model and our culture of approaching challenges innovatively will enable us to deliver better quality and more efficient outcomes for Southern Water and its customers. We’re looking forward to continuing our well-established relationship in the years to come.”

FM Conway is a founding supporter of the Street Soccer Foundation and has continually sponsored the charity’s flagship Academy for 18- to 30-year-olds since the Academy programme was established in 2016. The Street Soccer Foundation uses the power of football to positively change the lives of homeless and vulnerable young people across the country and it has continued to make a significant impact throughout its almost 10 years of operation. FM Conway’s renewed sponsorship now means that young people from all over London will be able to benefit from the Foundation’s Academy programme, which offers 10–12-week personal development courses. The courses cover a mixture of football coaching, positive mindset training, mentoring support, skills and employability workshops, and aims to help participants progress into employment, education, or further training. The Academy programme, which is run in partnership with professional football club community organisations throughout the UK, saw 12 different FM Conway sponsored Academy groups supported over the 2023-24 season, all benefitting from the coaching and development course, through partnerships with high-profile teams such as Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace, Chelsea and West Ham United. Through these groups, the Foundation was able to help 158 young people, providing 480 hours of support and education, and enabling more than 80% of participants to transition into work, education, or further training as a result of the programme. FM Conway’s investment has already seen the Academy programme become the UK’s number one football-led project tackling youth homelessness in England, and the business will now look to further build upon its relationship with the Street Soccer Foundation as it heads towards its 10-year anniversary. Joanne Conway, FM Conway Executive Group Chair and CEO, said: “FM Conway has worked with the Street Soccer Foundation for many years now and it is an honour to continue our partnership with such a fantastic cause.” “The work that they deliver for our communities is invaluable and importantly, every year they make an incredible difference in the lives of so many vulnerable and disadvantaged people.” “We are proud to be supporting in the delivery of more programmes this year, which will help inspire and empower young people in turning their lives around for the better.” Keith Mabbutt, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Street Soccer Foundation, said: “FM Conway holds an incredibly significant importance to me personally and to the Street Soccer Foundation, being our founding sponsors and partners since inception.” “Their continued belief and support of our charity has enabled us to grow year on year as we strive to help as many young people as we possibly can through our proven Academy programme.” “I am very proud of the fact we have been able to consistently deliver a firm positive social value ROI to FM Conway over the years and I sincerely hope our valued partnership continues well into the future for the benefit of others.”

56% of Gen-Z currently consider pensions as ‘important’. 51% either currently or have at some point paused their pension contributions. 21% of Gen-Z are not saving anything towards retirement. 31% of Gen-Z are on the statutory minimum employer pension contribution. While 47% of Gen-X receive between 7-10%+. Gen-Z least likely to receive any financial benefits like bonuses and car allowance. Only half of Gen-Z professionals think pensions are important, in stark contrast to three-quarters of Gen-X who prioritise their pension contributions. This comes as the average base pay needed for a single person to retire comfortably stands at around £43k a year. But as living and rental costs are rising faster than salaries, it’s harder than ever for young professionals to save for retirement. Recent research from Robert Walters’ upcoming Benefits Guide – surveying over 3,000 white-collar professionals – warns that Gen-Z professionals shouldn’t overlook their pension contributions. Chris Eldridge, CEO of Robert Walters UK & Ireland comments: “Pensions aren’t something that you should start only considering as you get closer to retirement age – you should be putting something aside from your first day of professional employment. Young professionals neglecting their pension contributions now, could see their retirement postponed later in life due to insufficient savings.” ‘Not on my mind yet’ The general rule of thumb for calculating what you should be saving towards your pension is taking your current age and dividing by two (e.g. 25 year olds should be saving around 12%). Meanwhile, 51% of Gen-Z professionals are either currently, or have at some point paused their pension contributions, to use the money immediately. A further 18% have stated that retirement savings ‘aren’t on their mind’ with 21% saving ‘nothing at the moment’ towards retirement. 10% more professionals over the age of 27 (36%) are currently saving between 6-10% towards their pension compared to just over a quarter of Gen-Z professionals (26%). Chris comments: “By and large, Gen-Z professionals have spent the least amount of time in the labour market and will generally have the least amount of money saved towards their eventual retirement. Yet many are already putting their savings on hold to afford their daily expenses.” Companies giving senior workers more? Gen-Z professionals (31%) are the generation most likely to receive the statutory minimum pension contribution of 3%. They are also least likely to receive between 7-10%+ - with only 23% receiving this compared to almost half (47%) of Gen-X professionals. Chris comments: “Professionals under-30 are at a crucial time in their career to craft a solid foundation for their pension pot. But, as our research suggests, many are not getting the chance to do so with their current employer." “However – professionals should calculate what they can afford to set aside each month – even contributing 4% of your annual salary can be brought up by a minimum employer contribution to a healthier 7% - this provides a solid basis which can then be built up.” Adding to financial woes The survey also found, that Gen-Z professionals are not only most likely to be in non-managerial positions (79%) on significantly lower pay than their senior peers. They are also the generation least likely to receive any financial benefits like an annual bonus, car allowance, tuition contributions, discounted stocks and shares & equity. Despite being the generation that values ‘bonus schemes’ as the most important financial benefit when considering an employment offer (82%) they are the group least likely to be eligible for it – 14% less than Gen-X. Chris comments: “Not only are Gen-Z more likely to being earning less, but they are also less likely to be eligible for any financial benefits to supplement their base salary – making it even more difficult for them to put any savings aside for the future.” However – it isn’t just Gen-Z who should be worried about their future financial health, only 34% of UK professionals (of all ages) are satisfied with their employer's contributions to their pension. Meanwhile FTSE-listed companies like BP and Unilever have strengthened their pension contributions, offering up to 20-25% respectively. This allows their employees decide whether to use the full amount towards pension savings, or to use some as a salary top-up. Chris comments: “Right now, every penny counts so it’s vital when considering a new job offer that professionals weigh-up what potential employers can offer them in the long-term. "Employers offering meaningful financial benefits outside of just base salary will not only ensure employees have an equal opportunity to save for a secure retirement, their investment will also be repaid with better attraction, retention and company loyalty.” Generations by name, birth year and current ages in 2024: Generation Born Current Ages Generation Z 1997 – 2012 12 – 27 Millennials 1981 – 1996 28 – 43 Generation X 1965 – 1980 44 – 59 Baby Boomers 1946 – 1964 60 – 69