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.”

HMG Paints, the UK’s leading independent paint manufacturer, is pleased to announce that it has received JOSCAR supplier accreditation. The Joint Supply Chain Accreditation Register (JOSCAR) Registration Mark is valued by some of the largest purchasers in the defence, aerospace and security community and indicates to potential customers that HMG has successfully demonstrated its commitment and credentials to the industry. JOSCAR is recognised by some of the largest purchasers in the defence community such as BAE Systems, Babcock, Boeing, Leidos, Leonardo QinetiQ, Raytheon, Rolls Royce and the Ministry of Defence (MOD). It is used a single repository for pre-qualification and compliance information to determine if a supplier is “fit for business”. The award of the accreditation will allow HMG Paints to further develop its sales within the defence industry and other markets. “We are delighted to have gained the JOSCAR supplier accreditation” commented Alan Sharples, Defence Sales Manager at HMG Paints. “The award is testament to the investment and innovation we’ve made into the business and the marketplace over the last few years. It also represents a huge opportunity area for us and we’re excited to start working with the businesses who utilise JOSCAR to find suppliers.” Made in Britain All of HMG’s Defence coatings, including its Def Stan 80-225 system, are also Made in Britain accredited. As a British based manufacturer HMG can provide fast delivery across its entire range, something which the company believes can benefit businesses who use JOSCAR. “With pre-qualification via JOSCAR we are looking forward to getting started on some very exciting projects with members” added Alan. “Being a British SME, we can manufacture and deliver products fast and now with JOSCAR accreditation we can do it even faster by removing pre-qualification and reducing procurement timescales.”

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.”

Gebrüder Weiss is further expanding its presence in the USA, opening an air and sea freight office in Miami, Florida. “Miami is a central logistics hub for transports to and from Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean,” explains Mark McCullough, Country Manager USA at Gebrüder Weiss. Miami primarily handles imports from Asia for onward transport to South and Central America, as there are only a few direct routes from Asia. The new location is situated in the immediate vicinity of the international airport, one of the country’s busiest cargo handling facilities. The company currently employs six people in Miami. Headed by Marcin Gonzalez, the location is set to keep growing and become a gateway for transports to the Latin American markets. Since the country organization was founded in 2017, Gebrüder Weiss has continuously expanded its network of locations and services in the USA. Today, in addition to air and sea freight services, the logistics provider also offers its customers national and international full load services, heavy transports and specific logistics solutions, with the portfolio ranging from goods warehousing and local distribution to e-commerce solutions. “Gebrüder Weiss has firmly established its brand and services in the market over the past five years. Our customers benefit from a globally integrated network with a high level of local expertise,” says Mark McCullough. Only recently, the company moved into a larger head office in Chicago and opened another logistics warehouse. Gebrüder Weiss operates a total of five warehouse locations in the USA and employs 130 people in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, El Paso, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco – and now also in Miami.

A Lake District based hotel group has a new chocolatier on its books, thanks to a training course with the Yorkshire Academy of Chocolate and Patisserie. Resident chef de partie at Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa Traviss Locke completed the chocolate making qualification at the academy run by international chocolatier and consultant Andrew Thwaite. The chocolatier course, which was fully funded through the English Lakes Hotels Personal Development Fund, has equipped Traviss with a range of chocolate making technical skills and recipes. Traviss, 34, has always had a passion for making his own chocolate and was keen to explore further opportunities for learning new skills and experimenting with the latest innovative techniques. “I thoroughly enjoyed the course training and gained tonnes of valuable experience,” explains Traviss. “We each had a practical chocolate making assignment to complete and I made an enormous chocolate egg which I donated to the hotel.” “I’m incredibly grateful to English Lakes Hotels for supporting me through this course and also in attaining my City and Guilds Level 3 chef de partie standard qualification through the hotel group’s own Culinary Academy.” Traviss’ giant chocolate egg was displayed at Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa reception, with guests entered into a prize draw to acquire it. All proceeds from the draw were then donated to the hotel group’s Sam’s Club Charity which supports local charities and good causes. Michael Kay from English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues says: “Our personal development fund is available for team members to upskill existing talents, develop their career skills or broaden their horizons.” “Training programmes or courses can be mutually agreed in most disciplines. The aim is to get the best out of all our teams and give everybody the opportunity to progress in their career choices. It also helps to engender a stronger work life balance for our employees.”

Hendy Group is delighted to provide the car for the Family Business Road Trip 2023. Organised by Family Business United, an organisation that champions the family business sector, the event takes place from April 24 until June 8, visiting dozens of family firms in an innovative tour around England, celebrating the significant contribution they make to the UK economy. During the course of the 2023 Family Business Road Trip, there will be behind the scenes tours of family firms, interviews, dinners and plenty of photo opportunities and social media posts that all seek to raise the profile of the family business sector and all that it does on a daily basis to keep the nation going. Some of the family firms included on the trip are Furniture Village, Arco, Ridgeview, The Wiston Estate, The Gallagher Group, Charles Wells Brewerry, Hayman’s Gin, Hague Fasteners, Mrs Darlingtons, Duvalay and The John Good Group. As Paul Andrews, Founder and CEO of Family Business United explains, “Family firms are the backbone of the national economy and with around 5 million family firms employing around 14 million people they make a significant contribution in terms of jobs provided, income generated and wealth created, not forgetting the charitable endeavours undertaken as a collective force for good. We have been putting family businesses on the map since 2011 and continue to champion the sector each and every day. The Road Trip is a great way to get to meet family firms that do incredible things every day, many of which have done for generations.” “2023 will be no different as we visit family firms across a range of sectors, in lots of different places from the North of England to East Anglia, Kent, Sussex, Surrey and Yorkshire, with plenty of stops in between. Each family business has its own story to tell, and we look forward to discovering some of them over the trip, from younger family firms at the start of their journey to multi-generational family firms that have been around for many years and continue to remain relevant today. Each has a real purpose, with family values at their core and pride that goes with having your name above the door, for many, following in the footsteps of their ancestors. It is a great way to showcase the depth and diversity of the family business sector and a real privilege to be welcomed in by so many family businesses over the course of the trip too,” concludes Paul. Hendy Group chief executive Paul Hendy added, “Family Business United does an incredible job highlighting the success of family-run businesses in the UK and their contribution to the economy, and we are pleased to support its annual road trip.” “As a family-run business, we are tremendously proud that we are now seeing the sixth generation of the Hendy family in this business which was set up more than 160 years ago. Now we have a turnover of more than £1billion and represent 21 automotive brands across the south coast.” Keep up to date with the journey on social media using the hashtag #FamilyBizRoadTrip2023.

Hendy Group is delighted to provide the car for the Family Business Road Trip 2023. Organised by Family Business United, an organisation that champions the family business sector, the event takes place from April 24 until June 8, visiting dozens of family firms in an innovative tour around England, celebrating the significant contribution they make to the UK economy. During the course of the 2023 Family Business Road Trip, there will be behind the scenes tours of family firms, interviews, dinners and plenty of photo opportunities and social media posts that all seek to raise the profile of the family business sector and all that it does on a daily basis to keep the nation going. Some of the family firms included on the trip are Furniture Village, Arco, Ridgeview, The Wiston Estate, The Gallagher Group, Charles Wells Brewerry, Hayman’s Gin, Hague Fasteners, Mrs Darlingtons, Duvalay and The John Good Group. As Paul Andrews, Founder and CEO of Family Business United explains, “Family firms are the backbone of the national economy and with around 5 million family firms employing around 14 million people they make a significant contribution in terms of jobs provided, income generated and wealth created, not forgetting the charitable endeavours undertaken as a collective force for good. We have been putting family businesses on the map since 2011 and continue to champion the sector each and every day. The Road Trip is a great way to get to meet family firms that do incredible things every day, many of which have done for generations.” “2023 will be no different as we visit family firms across a range of sectors, in lots of different places from the North of England to East Anglia, Kent, Sussex, Surrey and Yorkshire, with plenty of stops in between. Each family business has its own story to tell, and we look forward to discovering some of them over the trip, from younger family firms at the start of their journey to multi-generational family firms that have been around for many years and continue to remain relevant today. Each has a real purpose, with family values at their core and pride that goes with having your name above the door, for many, following in the footsteps of their ancestors. It is a great way to showcase the depth and diversity of the family business sector and a real privilege to be welcomed in by so many family businesses over the course of the trip too,” concludes Paul. Hendy Group chief executive Paul Hendy added, “Family Business United does an incredible job highlighting the success of family-run businesses in the UK and their contribution to the economy, and we are pleased to support its annual road trip.” “As a family-run business, we are tremendously proud that we are now seeing the sixth generation of the Hendy family in this business which was set up more than 160 years ago. Now we have a turnover of more than £1billion and represent 21 automotive brands across the south coast.” Keep up to date with the journey on social media using the hashtag #FamilyBizRoadTrip2023.

Hendy Group is delighted to provide the car for the Family Business Road Trip 2023. Organised by Family Business United, an organisation that champions the family business sector, the event takes place from April 24 until June 8, visiting dozens of family firms in an innovative tour around England, celebrating the significant contribution they make to the UK economy. During the course of the 2023 Family Business Road Trip, there will be behind the scenes tours of family firms, interviews, dinners and plenty of photo opportunities and social media posts that all seek to raise the profile of the family business sector and all that it does on a daily basis to keep the nation going. Some of the family firms included on the trip are Furniture Village, Arco, Ridgeview, The Wiston Estate, The Gallagher Group, Charles Wells Brewerry, Hayman’s Gin, Hague Fasteners, Mrs Darlingtons, Duvalay and The John Good Group. As Paul Andrews, Founder and CEO of Family Business United explains, “Family firms are the backbone of the national economy and with around 5 million family firms employing around 14 million people they make a significant contribution in terms of jobs provided, income generated and wealth created, not forgetting the charitable endeavours undertaken as a collective force for good. We have been putting family businesses on the map since 2011 and continue to champion the sector each and every day. The Road Trip is a great way to get to meet family firms that do incredible things every day, many of which have done for generations.” “2023 will be no different as we visit family firms across a range of sectors, in lots of different places from the North of England to East Anglia, Kent, Sussex, Surrey and Yorkshire, with plenty of stops in between. Each family business has its own story to tell, and we look forward to discovering some of them over the trip, from younger family firms at the start of their journey to multi-generational family firms that have been around for many years and continue to remain relevant today. Each has a real purpose, with family values at their core and pride that goes with having your name above the door, for many, following in the footsteps of their ancestors. It is a great way to showcase the depth and diversity of the family business sector and a real privilege to be welcomed in by so many family businesses over the course of the trip too,” concludes Paul. Hendy Group chief executive Paul Hendy added, “Family Business United does an incredible job highlighting the success of family-run businesses in the UK and their contribution to the economy, and we are pleased to support its annual road trip.” “As a family-run business, we are tremendously proud that we are now seeing the sixth generation of the Hendy family in this business which was set up more than 160 years ago. Now we have a turnover of more than £1billion and represent 21 automotive brands across the south coast.” Keep up to date with the journey on social media using the hashtag #FamilyBizRoadTrip2023.

Motoring fans were treated to a dazzling display of classic and supercars recently, as an impressive convoy of vehicles descended on Crieff Hydro Hotel for a charity event. The event was organised by Mark Ryan from Driving Scotland in aid of veterans charity Erskine that saw more than 40 automotive gems travel by police escort from the Forth Bridges in South Queensferry to Knockhill Racing Circuit, before arriving at the iconic Perthshire resort. Dozens of veterans and their families were given the chance to ride in a vast selection of vehicles including the latest Ferrari 296 GTB and Bentley Bentayga, before being treated to lunch and refreshments at the hotel. Erskine volunteer Zee Bremnar said: “Our veterans are truly the most magnificent people, and it was so rewarding to see so many of their happy, smiling faces on the day.” “We want to say a huge thank you to everyone involved, especially Mark from Driving Scotland, all the drivers, the team at Knockhill Racing Circuit and staff Crieff Hydro Hotel. It truly was a really special day.” Stephen Leckie, CEO of Crieff Hydro Hotel, said: “We were proud to welcome veterans who are in the care of Erskine to Crieff Hydro, for what was a fantastic event, supporting a worthwhile charity who go above and beyond for those who use its service and their families.” The event was also supported by luxury car retailers Bentley Edinburgh and Graypaul Ferrari Edinburgh, as well as mobile caterers, The Bonny Bean. Mark Ryan from Driving Scotland added: ““It was an honour to arrange a memorable day out for our veterans and residents and their families from the Erskine Charity.” “We owe such a great debt to so many of our military personnel and we all wanted to provide a great day out.”

The new tax year is here once again and with it comes a host of financial changes, from higher taxes to increasing bills, and almost every household will be affected. The start of the tax year is a great time to get into good habits, make use of all the available allowances and benefit from more time in the market. Our partners at Brooks Macdonald have provided a useful guide to help navigate and understand the changes which is available below:

Pentland Brands has announced Abhy Thomas-Joseph as its new global chief operating officer (COO). Abhy joined Pentland Brands in 2012 and was appointed global IT director in 2018. The following year, his role expanded to include the digital and innovation functions, where he established a new global digital strategy for the brand portfolio, growing their digital sales by 40% and significantly increasing their reach and engagement in a digital world. Abhy joined the Executive team in January 2022 as the President Asia Pacific, with responsibility for leading the brand, commercial, and operational teams across the region. In this role, his accountabilities also included leading the data, innovation, logistics, supply chain, technology, and transformation functions globally. Abhy is known for fostering trust and loyalty among employees, customers, and partners, driving large-scale digital transformations at pace within complex organisations and consistently delivering value for global businesses and their shareholders. Passionate about transforming businesses and fuelling growth, Abhy has previously ranked second in ‘The CIO 100’, which recognises the 100 most transformational and disruptive chief information officers in the UK. Chirag Patel, Pentland Brands’ chief executive officer, says: “In his new role, Abhy will take ownership of our global operating model and ensure we’re set up to be simpler and more efficient in how we work with our customers, suppliers and partners. He’ll also build strategic vendor partnerships, drive vendor led innovations, future-proof our supply chain and logistics operations, and use data and technology to power business growth. This is a natural transition for Abhy given his existing global responsibilities and leadership impact in the organisation.” “Abhy will continue to lead the Asia Pacific region in this role, providing executive leadership for what is the fastest growing region in the world.” Abhy replaces Jon Godden, who, having spent 16 years at Pentland Brands, has decided to leave the business in June 2023. Jon has held a variety of roles within the business, including managing director of Mitre Sports. As portfolio director he led the acquisition of Speedo North America and, as chief operating officer, has been responsible for leading the global finance, HR, legal and workplace teams. Chirag continues: “I’d like to personally thank Jon for his leadership and support, most recently guiding the business through the global pandemic. His calmness and professionalism, always keeping perspective and remaining resilient, were critical in helping us to navigate those challenging times. We wish Jon and his family all the best for the future.”