Entrepreneur Dominic Ponniah, CEO and Co-Founder of award-winning commercial cleaning firm Cleanology, has been elected Co-Chair of the Living Wage Foundation’s Recognised Service Provider Leadership Group. Dominic commented, “As a long-term supporter of the Real Living Wage, I am absolutely thrilled to have been elected as Co-Chair of the Recognised Service Provider Leadership Group. This dedicated group of business leaders are champions of fair pay and understand well the commercial benefits for organisations who pay the Real Living Wage." "We want to support other businesses in any way we can on their journey to adopting the Real Living Wage so they too can realise the mutual benefits. I very much look forward to working with my Co-Chair Phil Smith and the rest of the group to continue to expand the Recognised Service Provider network.” Fin Watkinson, Partnerships & Campaigns Manager at the Living Wage Foundation, said, “We are delighted that Dominic has agreed to take on the role of co-chair of the Recognised Service Provider Leadership Group. The Leadership Group has provided us with brilliant expertise and insight for many years, and we are extremely grateful for the continued support of all the members." "Dominic and Cleanology have been a fantastic addition to the group over the last two years, and it is a show of Dominic’s commitment to the group and to advocating for the real Living Wage that he has agreed to take this on, succeeding Mike Bullock of Corps Security who has co-chaired excellently since 2022. We look forward to working with Dominic, Phil, and the Leadership Group to continue to champion the real Living Wage in the service provision sector.” In 2018, Cleanology commissioned independent research into people’s attitudes towards fair pay and the Real Living Wage, and in 2021, the company won a Living Wage Champion Award in recognition of their work supporting the Real Living Wage. Throughout 2022 and 2023, 100% of new business won by Cleanology was signed up paying the Real Living Wage or higher. The Recognised Service Provider accreditation was set up by the Living Wage Foundation to commend contractors who support the aims of the movement. For many sectors, implementing the Real Living Wage relies on responsible procurement, and the movement has been successful thanks to the constructive involvement of both Living Wage Employers from a client side and advocates in the contracted service provider industries. Recognised Service Providers have seen the benefits the Real Living Wage can bring and aim to champion the Real Living Wage in their contracts with customers. They have committed to always offering a Real Living Wage bid in place of or alongside every market rate submittal to all prospective and current clients, meaning the client always has the choice to implement the Real Living Wage at the point of tender. The Recognised Service Provider Leadership Group exists to assist and guide the Living Wage Foundation with policy decisions and lends its expertise to the Foundation to better champion the Real Living Wage within the provider industries. In May 2023, Cleanology announced it had created 600 new jobs during a period of record-breaking growth which included an acquisition in Wigan, Greater Manchester. This added a further 400 staff to the books, bringing the total workforce to over 1,400. Last year family owned and run Cleanology – which is headquartered in Vauxhall, South-West London – forged ahead with new hubs across the Midlands, Scotland and the South-West after 20 years servicing the capital. It has also opened offices in Manchester and Leeds.

Wates Group has reported the highest-ever turnover and underlying profit in its 127-year history. With turnover of £2.18bn, an increase of more than 15% on last year, the Group has exceeded the £2bn mark for the first time, alongside a profit before tax of £46.2m. These strong results come despite a challenging external landscape of high inflation and interest rates, and disrupted supply chains. The company also ended the financial year with a record forward order book of £8.54bn. 2023’s financial results mean that Wates has delivered PBT (profit before tax) consistently, every year, for over two decades. The Group made significant investments during the year, resulting in a lower net cash position than in 2022, of £138m. This included continued investment in our House Building Joint Ventures portfolio. The Group’s £90m revolving credit facility remained undrawn at the year-end. The company also increased its total tax take on behalf of the Exchequer to £387m – a 23% increase on last year. During the year, the Group also delivered two of its 2025 social value targets ahead of schedule. The Group’s strategic spending with social enterprises, which multiply the company’s impact in communities where it operates, reached £31m since 2020, exceeding the original 2025 target of £25m. Wates also delivered triple its 2025 target for engagement with the sector’s future skills pipeline, supporting 80,000 young people in primary and secondary schools to consider a construction career since 2020, against an original target of 25,000. In the same year as it delivered record turnover, the Group reduced its scope 1 and 2 emissions by 45.3% against a 2019 baseline. This compares with its near-term (2030) science-based target of 46.2%. The Group also had its long-term (2045) greenhouse gas emissions target validated by the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and, at the end of 2023, appointed Cressida Curtis to the new role of Group Sustainability Director. Across the business, results were strong. The Construction Group reported £1.17bn turnover, up 22% from last year, and secured £1.1bn in new work, with a highest-ever average project value of £48.3m. During the year, the business completed a number of major projects, including a major project to rebuild the Lucent Building behind the iconic Piccadilly Circus lights in central London and completing the transformation of state-of-the-art sports facility the Sandwell Aquatic Centre – which Wates completed in 2022 for the Commonwealth Games – into a lasting legacy for the local community as a leisure centre for everyone. Current major schemes include the design and build of the AESC UK gigafactory in Sunderland which, once complete, will deliver a six-fold increase in UK electric vehicle battery production. Construction is also underway on the Group’s project to build the first new town centre in London for 50 years in Canada Water, as well as delivering a smart, sustainable new office building in the heart of Manchester at 4 Angel Square, in partnership with SES Engineering Services. Turnover in the Group’s Residential business increased by £13m on 2022 figures, to reach £323m, delivering 276 homes over the year with more than 3,000 homes under construction. Wates continued its residential industry leadership in delivering low-carbon homes by working with Winchester City Council. Here they delivered residential blocks and two-bedroom houses reducing energy use by up to 41% and saving residents up to 60% on their bills, depending on their usage. The Residential business is also working with Cardiff Council to alleviate the ongoing housing shortage, by providing modular housing as a high-quality and low-cost solution to help those in most urgent housing need. The Developments Group continued its strong performance in 2023. It secured its highest-ever profit before tax, alongside a turnover of £147m, an increase of 16% on last year. This represents one of its strongest results in two decades. The business continued its exceptional land trading performance, with five sites sold to either joint venture partners or on the open market in 2023. The planning team also maintained its impressive planning success rate of 98% since the offering was established in 2005, winning its sixth planning appeal in a row. Its housing developments, in partnership with leading housebuilders, continue to progress well, and the Developments Group operated with the highest level of capital investment in its history, at £185m. 2023 was also a year of growth and diversification, with a widening scope of business streams and range of sites. The business now covers both residential and commercial land within its growing portfolio. The Property Services business also increased turnover to £545m in 2023. The housing maintenance business, Living Space, launched a dedicated healthy homes team and cemented its position as a leader in social housing retrofit by working with 17 social landlords to secure £100m of Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) Wave 2.1 funding. Its specialist fit out and refurbishment business, Smartspace, retained all its key customers and secured its two largest-ever contracts, both with repeat customers. The Facilities Management business increased its turnover by 19.2%, with most of the growth coming through contract renewals and extensions. It secured a notable contract with Yorkshire Building Society, and extended its next generation maintenance partnership with JLL. Eoghan O’Lionaird, Chief Executive, Wates said: "Despite a challenging external environment, we delivered a strong performance last year. Whilst it’s great to pass the £2bn turnover mark, it’s just as encouraging to see an increase in profit. Our stable family governance and clear purpose have provided a firm foundation upon which we continue to go from strength to strength." "We are in an excellent position, with profitability across all parts of our business, a solid cash balance and a positive tangible net worth. Our record forward order book demonstrates our customers’ confidence in our ability to deliver projects of all types and sizes. This confidence is hard-earned, with Wates delivering profit before tax every year for more than two decades." "We are also just as proud of our contribution to society as we are of our bottom line. I’m delighted that in 2023 we exceeded some of our social value targets set for 2025. We have now been able to set even more ambitious targets to increase spend with social enterprises and engage more young people in the great work we do, to make sure everything we do brings benefit to the communities we serve." "These results are a testament to the hard work of people across the Group, and I would like to extend my thanks to all our colleagues, as well as our customers, partners, and supply chain, for everything they do to make this continued success possible.”

Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust is proud to announce its latest contributions to the community, focusing on supporting educational and social growth in two Glasgow primary schools, and a youth sports coaching programme. With grants totaling £3,000, the Trust is funding initiatives at St Mary's Primary School in Maryhill, St Joseph’s Primary School near Glasgow City Centre and Winning Scotland, a charity that builds confidence and resilience in Scotland's children and young people. St Joseph’s Primary School, located close to Glasgow City Centre, will receive a grant of £1,000. towards the creation of a school library, a project designed to develop a love of reading among young people. Recognizing the school's diverse linguistic background, with 32 languages spoken among its students, the grant will help purchase books in various languages and essential library furniture. Ciara Lynch, from St Joseph’s Primary expressed the school’s gratitude for the donation. “Reading is crucial for learning and development and yet many children are missing out on the joy of reading and the benefits it brings; we don’t want our young people to miss this opportunity.” "We have 32 different languages spoken in our school so we want to buy books in a range of languages to suit this diverse community; this will have a great impact on our school and young people.” A further £500 grant will go to St Mary’s Primary School in Maryhill. This funding aims to alleviate the financial burden on families by supporting the costs associated with the Primary 7 prom, leavers' day out, and the traditional leavers' hoodies. Located in a deprived area of Maryhill, the grant ensures that every child can participate in these significant milestones without financial stress on their families. Kerry Finn, of the St. Mary’s Primary School Parent Council said the donation would make the P7’s last weeks of primary school memorable ones. She said, “I would like to thank the whole team at Allied Vehicles for helping the P7s at St Mary's Primary with costs for leaver events. This will help our families and the children will have an amazing sendoff thanks to Allied Vehicles.” Winning Scotland is a charity that builds confidence and resilience in Scotland's children and young people. The Trust has approved a grant of £1,500 to enhance delivery of a physical activity focused project called ‘On Our Marks’. On Our Marks improves the health, confidence, and life skills of 300 children in Primary 1 and 2 in 10 north Glasgow primary schools - Barlornock, Barmulloch, Chirnsyde, Elmvale, Miltonbank, Saracen, St Catherine’s, St Martin’s, St Monica’s and St Teresa's. The funds from the Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust will help to mentor and train young sports coaches recruited from sports students at Glasgow Kelvin College. As well as providing a sustainable source of physical activity provision in the local schools, this approach increases the practical knowledge, delivery experience and employability skills of the students, helping them to build networks in their local area and boost future employment prospects. Richard Orr, Director of Partnerships at Winning Scotland thanked the Trust for its support, saying, “We’re thrilled that this support from the Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust will enable us to continue building our training and mentoring relationship with Glasgow Kelvin College." "Supporting sports students to deliver the On Our Marks physical activity project in local primary schools has multiple benefits – helping children stay fit and healthy, developing the employability skills of students and creating opportunities in the local community.” Gerry Facenna, owner and founder of Allied Vehicles, said of the donations, "We're delighted to support these vital educational and social initiatives in Glasgow's schools and communities. The Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust is committed to making a positive impact, and it makes me very proud to see our contributions help foster a love of reading, support meaningful school milestones, and promote health and resilience among young people."

This March, Manchester based HMG Paints will be supporting local charity Francis House Children’s Hospice as they look to raise funds for their Easter Chick Knit Campaign. The campaign see’s thousands of handcrafted Easter chicks, each filled with a delicious Creme Egg, sold to raise funds for Francis House. Every Year at Francis House, supporters and volunteers of this campaign gather from across the UK to help knit thousands of chicks and bunnies. Each chick is personally hand-crafted,and crème egg sized surprise is inserted into each and every chick. Each bespoke gift is paired with a chocolate egg and donate the Easter-themed pairing to supermarkets, businesses, and local individuals. This heart-warming initiative aims to raise vital funds to support children and young adults with life limiting conditions. Discussing the event, Francis House said: “Every year, thousands of little woolly chicks, and bunnies flock into Francis House, knitted by crafty supporters from across the world. The chicks are filled with a donated chocolate egg each and sold in schools, stores, and businesses all across Greater Manchester to raise funds for the hospice.” Leading independent paint manufacturer HMG Paints, is honoured to support this meaningful event, helping to contribute to the success of the Easter Chick Knit fundraiser. As a company deeply rooted in the Manchester community, HMG often get involved with their community and support those in need. Members of the team are delighted to support the campaign this year and the team have gladly donated a generous 192 eggs to the cause. Speaking on their involvement within the Chick Knit Campaign, HMG’s Gracienne Ikin, Business Development Manager stated “HMG are so pleased to be involved with the Easter Chick appeal with Francis House once again this year. It really brings the festive Easter spirit to the factory at HMG when we sell the chocolate filled, knitted chicks and bunnies. We are delighted to be able to support Francis House and this particular appeal is a really easy and fun way to get involved and raise vital funds.” To date, thanks to the work of hundreds of supporters, tens of thousands of knitted chicks were sold via various outlets, raising over £51,500 and allowing many businesses to join hands in fundraising for the Easter season. With the fundraising charity looking for varied venues to sell their chicks knits, HMG, Collyhurst will further commit to this event; purchasing chicks and bunnies to sell across the independent paint factory throughout March. Francis houses look to sell each ‘standard chick or bunny’ for a minimum of £2, as well as providing the option of supplying an ‘accessorised chick’ for £3. With limited time left to get involved with this year’s event, HMG encourage all to get involved with this incredible event dedicated to making a positive impact. For more information about the Easter Chick Knit fundraiser and how you can get involved, please visit: Easter Chick Knit - Francis House

Williams Racing is thrilled to announce the arrival of its first-ever Fan Zone in Japan close to the iconic Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo. As excitement builds for the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix, fans will have the unique opportunity starting from Monday 1 to Sunday 7 April, to immerse themselves in the world of Formula 1 at the Williams Racing Fan Zone. The free-to-enter event offers unmatched access to get closer to the action and be a part of the Williams Racing team. During the week, fans will have the opportunity to: Meet F1 drivers Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant and Team Principal James Vowles. The full line-up of appearance times during the week and how you can register to meet them will be available at williamsf1.com closer to the event. See the Williams Racing FW46 show car up close. Get behind the wheel of a state-of-the-art esports simulator to test your driving skills around the Suzuka Circuit. Learn more about the team’s partners with Komatsu’s digger simulator and MyProtein’s batak challenge. Buy team merchandise, including limited edition collections. Fans who download and register on the Williams Racing app will have access to the latest event information and the chance to win exclusive prizes. Location: Zero Base, 2-5-8 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Dates: Monday 1 April to Sunday 7 April Opening Hours: Monday-Friday: 12:00pm to 10:00pm Saturday: 10:00am to 10:00pm Sunday: 10:00am to 8:00pm Tokyo marks the second stop of the team’s 2024 Fan Zone World tour which includes a total of nine locations across the F1 season. Since 2022, Williams Racing Fan Zones have offered unparalleled access to supporters, attracting thousands of fans across the globe. Logan Sargeant, Williams Racing Driver: “It’s great that we’re able to bring our Fan Zone to Tokyo this year ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix. Tokyo is one of my favourite cities, and I loved experiencing it for the first-time last year." "I know the fans are super passionate about the sport, so to be able to give them the chance to be a part of the team, even if they can’t make it to the race in Suzuka is special. I can’t wait to see their support at the Fan Zone in Shibuya.”

New research from BusinessComparison has surveyed UK SME leaders on their usage of local banks, and has found that a huge majority agree that there are fewer banks near their business than there were 10 years ago. The survey asked owners and senior decision-makers at SMEs about how often they use their local bank and what worries them the most about bank closures. The results were also broken down by business leaders’ age and where they are based in the UK. Key Findings: 74% agree that there are fewer bank branches near their business than there were 10 years ago. 21% of business leaders say it takes them or a staff member 31 to 45 minutes to visit the local bank - 51% say it takes them 11 to 30 minutes. Philip Brennan, Founder and MD at BusinessComparison, comments: “We were interested in finding out how leaders at SMEs feel about their access to local banks. The fact that three-quarters of the people we surveyed said they’ve noticed fewer branches confirms a pattern that has been going on anecdotally for some time." “It was heartening to see how much of a sense of business community emerged from the survey results. For 88% of business leaders, the main concern when it came to bank closures was the impact on the local area, including other businesses.” Business Owners’ Biggest Worries About Bank Closures Only 12% of business leaders said they were not worried about bank closures in their area. 50% said they were concerned about businesses that take cash payments, and 34% were worried about the impact on customers. How Businesses are Using Their Bank One of the most popular reasons to visit the bank was to deposit any takings in cash - 46% of those surveyed said they ‘often’ or ‘sometimes’ go for this purpose. Collecting change from the bank was a slightly less commonly given reason - but while 47% of businesses never run out of change to give to customers, 13% do several times a week. 51% of business leaders said it takes them or a staff member 11 to 30 minutes to make a trip to the closest bank. 21% said that it takes between 31 and 45 minutes. Going Digital 44% of business leaders said they ‘Always’ use digital banking services to complete routine tasks, with 34% answering ‘Often’. Alternative digital payment methods were shown to be increasingly popular. Either due to customer request or difficulty using cash, 57% of those surveyed said they had taken a payment using the most popular of these options, PayPal. Differences by Region London was the region most likely to say they often take cash payments, at 40%, much higher than the national average at 24%. This region was also the most likely, overall, to have a member of staff visit the bank every day, at 62%. London’s business leaders were the most likely to say that there were more banks near their place of work than there had been 10 years ago. While there was still a majority saying there were fewer local banks, at 56%, 22% said there were more. Perhaps the reliance on in-person bank visits means bank branches in London are less likely to be closed. Another outlier was the South East, the most likely to only take card payments, at 35%. That is more than 10% of the national average of 21%. 74% of respondents here said their business never goes to the bank to collect change. Differences by Age In one interesting discovery from the survey, younger business leaders were more likely to make in-person visits to the bank. 45% of businesses run by 25 to 34-year-olds and 36% of those run by 35 to 44-year-olds send a staff member to the bank several times a week. Only 15% of businesses run by 55 to 64-year-olds go this often. Gen Z business owners aged 18-24 are the most likely to go to the bank several times a week at 51%. The survey found that while the majority of businesses still rely on in-person banking, there is a surprising level of variation between different age groups and across the country. Owners and decision makers at SMEs clearly value their local banks and are concerned that they are disappearing - both for their own sake and for the sake of others who use local bank branches, the other businesses in the local ecosystem as well as their customers.

Funerals can now be held in a stunning location among Dorset’s Purbeck Hills thanks to an exclusive partnership. Kingston Country Courtyard has partnered with Douch Family Funeral Directors to offer its 16th century barn for services. Magnificent views from the location look out over Corfe Castle to Poole Harbour beyond. With people’s expectations of funerals developing, this partnership provides a memorable location for final farewells. Kingston Country Courtyard is a hotel with fine dining and hosts a variety of events. Its facilities are now available for those organising funerals through any of Douch Family Funeral Directors’ branches. Malcolm Green, manager of the James Smith branch in Swanage, said: “People’s expectations and choices are changing. This has accelerated since Covid and our new partnership offers people a place where the service and wake can be held in the same, stunning place." "The burial or cremation will usually take place privately at a separate location either after or before the funeral and this is becoming a more common choice. Many people request that their funerals be held in a specific place and we aim to cater for them." “The facilities at Kingston Country Courtyard are superb including audio-visual equipment. While James Smith and the Albert Marsh branches are closest we expect clients from all our branches to be interested in holding a funeral at this location.” Tony Edwards, director of Kingston Country Courtyard, said: “We host a variety of events and welcome the partnership with the funeral group. Our 16th century barn can accommodate gatherings of 140 seated or 175 for a buffet. We have 26 rooms and our location is between Swanage and Wareham in the Purbeck Hills.” Douch Family Funeral Directors has branches in Wimborne, Parkstone, Swanage, Wareham, Blandford, Corfe Mullen and Ferndown.    Malcolm Green from James Smith Funeral Directors in Swanage, Emma Byron from Albert Marsh Funeral Directors in Wareham and Tony Edwards, director of Kingston Country Courtyard.

Willmott Dixon is further enhancing its portfolio of blue light projects with a project to deliver the new £18m Pendle Police Station for Lancashire Constabulary. The new facility on Carr Road in Nelson will replace older stations in Colne and Nelson with the intention to futureproof police infrastructure in the area and provide officers with a modern environment to keep the community safe. The new Pendle Police Station will host policing teams including response and neighbourhood teams, investigations and more. There will also be a front counter, maintaining the service for Pendle as part of Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner’s commitment that every borough will have a police station open to the public. Construction work on the three-storey police station, as well as associated multi-storey car park, was procured through Procure Partnerships and it will be operational by Autumn 2025. This contract follows the announcement last month that Willmott Dixon had been appointed for the £55m project to redevelop the existing headquarters building of Hertfordshire Constabulary in Welwyn Garden City. Other recent projects for the emergency services include a new forensics centre for Thames Valley Police, a new fire station and training centre for West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service, as well as new headquarter buildings for Dorset, Humberside and Merseyside Police Forces. What people are saying Andrew Snowden, Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire: "When I got elected, I was determined to invest in fit for purpose police stations across the county, to make sure policing stays rooted in the communities it serves." “I made it a priority to get this long-delayed project back on the agenda and I am proud to be securing a state-of-the-art base that will support the fight against crime in Pendle for years to come. The modern site will help tackle crime and protect the public across the Pendle, and also reflects our ongoing commitment to providing officers with the facilities they need to do their jobs effectively, whilst ensuring the policing estate is fit for purpose to best deliver my Fighting Crime Plan priorities." "The new facility is part of a wider investment in policing infrastructure across the Lancashire region. This latest development will ensure that the Pendle district is well-equipped to deal with the challenges of modern policing and will provide a vital resource for local officers in the years to come.” Superintendent Derry Crorken, from Lancashire Constabulary’s East Division: “This is a milestone moment for policing in Pendle – one which we feel will ultimately help us to provide a better quality of service to the public. Once complete, the new building will see a massive improvement to our working environment, providing vital support to officers and staff who deliver frontline services to keep the area safe.” Head of Estates and Facilities Management at Lancashire Constabulary, Cristina Marshall-Kimberley added: “We are delighted to be progressing this vital scheme in East Lancashire in partnership with Willmott Dixon. The delivery of this scheme sees the replacement of some of our aged infrastructure and is a significant step forward in driving our victim focussed delivery, focussed on keeping our communities safe.” Michael Poole-Sutherland, director for Willmott Dixon in the North: “We are proud to play our part in ensuring Lancashire officers have the modern facilities and the very best support to keep the people of Pendle safe. We also want to leave a legacy beyond bricks and mortar and will be supporting the Lancashire economy by using local businesses and creating local employment opportunities whenever possible during construction.” Andy Robinson, director at Pick Everard: “This is a modern policing facility that has been designed with both public and private need in mind. It is situated adjacent to an existing public park, with several different amenities close by, ensuring that residents don’t feel isolated or cut off from these vital services. The aim is to really integrate this police station with the local community, whilst delivering a highly efficient base, equipped with the latest technology and a sustainable design, to secure Pendle’s policing operations for generations to come." “The high specification will also ensure productivity and comfort for staff, with tall windows flooding the environment with natural light, alongside an energy-efficient thermal design. We’re looking forward to working closely with Lancashire Constabulary and Willmott Dixon to bring this exciting project to fruition.”

Frozen food distributor Central Foods has launched five new pizza bases for the food service sector. The KaterBake pizza bases are available in a variety of sizes and are suitable for vegans and vegetarians. They include thin and crispy and soft and fluffy options, plus a rectangular pizza which is ideal for larger scale catering. MD of Central Foods Gordon Lauder said: “Pizza is a big favourite in the food service sector, and we are very pleased to be extending our KaterBake range of products with these five new pizza bases." “The frozen pizza bases are low in fat and low in salt (below PHE 2024 Targets), with no added sugar, and made to an authentic pizza recipe with no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives. And with a size for all occasions, we hope they will be a hit with our food service customers.” The new range includes a 9” pizza base, two 12” pizza bases, a 14” pizza base and a rectangular 15” by 9” pizza base. All are soft and fluffy except the 9” and 12” thin and crispy bases. Central Foods is a leading UK food service distributor, founded more than 25 years ago. The company is a catering partner across the whole food service sector, supplying to hotels, restaurants, bars, universities, schools, pubs, care homes, garden centres, leisure outlets and more. It currently sells to over 180 independent wholesalers, as well as larger national and regional wholesalers.

JCB’s Chairman Anthony Bamford issued a rallying cry to Staffordshire companies to do more business with the digger maker. He was speaking after meeting former window cleaner turned entrepreneur Andrew Simmill who set up in business 34 years ago. Andrew knocked on JCB’s door in 1990 seeking to supply machined components. His initiative paid off and his company, Rayne Precision Engineering, has been a supplier ever since, growing from a one-man band to a company turning over £14.5 million a year and employing 115 people. Lord Bamford said today: “JCB is a Staffordshire company and I would like nothing more than to be doing business with more firms in our home county. There are many engineering firms out there, big, and small, which could be potential suppliers and we’d like them to knock on our door." “Rayne Precision Engineering started out in a very small way, but thanks to an ability to adapt to changing needs and continual investment, they have grown into a well-respected company and a valued JCB supplier.” Andrew, 63, whose business is based in King Street, Fenton, said: “In JCB, Staffordshire has a global company right on its doorstep and my advice to any business out there wanting to be a supplier, is to give it a go. JCB will always help you, like they helped Rayne, giving us the opportunity to diversify into different manufacturing processes and helping the business grow." “We have been challenged by JCB over the years to do many different things and supply different machined parts and fabrications. At first, it’s daunting, but we have always risen to the challenge with JCB’s guidance, and as a result, our business has expanded." “When I was at school, the teachers gave me no encouragement. I didn’t let that put me off in life and as long as you have a degree of common sense, that is all you need. JCB has put its faith in me and I always strive to give the best service possible." “If you look ahead to the next four or five years there is an increasing need for new infrastructure and JCB machines will be required to deliver that growth. There is a great opportunity for other suppliers in Staffordshire to be part of that growth. We are a local firm which supplies a global company like JCB and I am very proud of that.”

Possobilities and The Courtyard Pantry, two north Glasgow based organisations who provide meals in some of Glasgow’s most deprived areas, have received a much-needed boost from the Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust to facilitate their breakfast club projects. The Courtyard Pantry Enterprise relieves financial hardship by providing food security to those who need it most through the operation of a food pantry and community hub. Last year they received a £10,500 donation from the Trust to provide discounted goods, food, and refreshments to the local community. Their breakfast club pilot will run from March until the end of June at their Pantry Hub premises in Wester Common, on weekday mornings. The aim is to provide an opportunity for children and parents to access good quality, nutritious food to help them maintain a balanced diet. Located near both High Park and St Cuthbert's Primary school, the Pantry Hub is in a prime location for parents and children to visit prior to heading to school. The Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust will help to subsidise the Courtyard Pantry’s Breakfast Club with a £3,000 donation. Dale Todd, Managing Director of The Courtyard Pantry Enterprise, said “We are delighted to have Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust support our Pre School Breakfast Club. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and we want to ensure that all children and their parents/guardians who live in and around Wester Common start their day on a full stomach.” Possobilities, who have run local breakfast clubs in the past, will re-start the club in their Denmark Street building, serving local school children and their families a hot breakfast. The Trust has pledged a sum of £10,000 to get the club back up and running and provide accessible transport to school. Melanie Fyfe, Manager at Possobilities, expressed the organisation’s gratitude for the funding, saying, “A massive thank you to Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust for their generous donation and ongoing support to Possobilities. With this will be able to run a free healthy Breakfast club 5 days per week and provide transport to the local school in a fully accessible minibus." “This is a major boost for us, the local community and local schools. The Trust’s support is invaluable to Possobilites, and to the wider community and we look forward to our continued work in the future.” David Facenna, Director of Corporate Culture at Allied Vehicles Group added, “The food offered by Possobilities and The Courtyard Pantry will, in many cases, be the only meal that families eat together, and a lot of the children in this area would not eat before school without access to these services." "Allied Vehicles Group is a family business, and a local business with our roots in Possilpark, and we’re delighted to support these brilliant, family-focused, local initiatives.”

Art enthusiasts across Cumbria have the chance to meet a renowned contemporary British artist and find out more about her work. Former Windermere school pupil Kitty North will be at Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa on the afternoon of Wednesday 27 March 2024 to talk about ‘Buildings in the Landscape’, her latest exhibition which is on display at the hotel. The ‘meet the artist’ event from 2:30pm to 5pm has been organised in partnership with British art specialists Gavagan Art. It will allow budding artists and keen collectors alike the opportunity to chat with Kitty about her paintings and the inspiration behind them. The gallery display at Low Wood Bay features some of Kitty North’s most prominent works, including Moonlit Night, her painting of Levens Hall and The Old Rectory, once home to the English poet John Betjeman. A former ‘artist in residence’ at Levens Hall, Kitty has been the driving force behind a number of prominent art projects across Britain, including commissions at Bolton Abbey and Chatsworth House. English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues executive chairman Simon Berry says: “Kitty’s exhibition here is bringing her paintings to a wider audience. This event is taking that idea a step further to allow art enthusiasts to talk to her informally about her experience as a leading colourist and what continues to inspire her in her paintings.”