Business News

Brixly announced today they had become the proud winners of the award for 'Best Independent Web Hosting Platform 2021' for their incredible services to innovative web hosting for enterprise. Tailored specifically to the reseller market, including design and digital agencies, development agencies, and hosting startups, Brixly provides one of the fastest-growing reseller hosting solutions available on the market today.

Brixly is a web hosting platform that has been consciously built from the ground up to provide high performance in the enterprise market. In addition, the business now manages the hosting infrastructure, hardware, and support for over a quarter of a million sites, with clients in over 135 countries worldwide. "Brixly continues to answer the demand for reliable and affordable enterprise and reseller web hosting solutions in these changing digital times," said Dennis Nind, Founder and Owner of Brixly.

"Digital times are changing in the enterprise world, and the demand for high quality, flexible and affordable web hosting solutions has had to change with it, which is how Brixly was born.” Dennis believed in his initial concept of a reseller-focused hosting platform that provided stability, performance, and tools to assist with business growth. From this, Brixly has achieved a further accolade, 'Best Independent Web Hosting Platform 2021', which is another fantastic achievement for the independently owned brand!

As a result of the recent pandemic, the Brixly team has been challenged with a marked increase in demand from clients onboarding with Brixly, seeking out the best solutions for their business with such fierce competition. As a result, Brixly continues to provide the most reliable web hosting service for the reseller market available today and is proud to have achieved such an incredible accolade as 'Best Independent Web Hosting Platform 2021.'

Headquartered in Nuneaton, UK, Brixly is a hosting brand independently owned and provides one of the UK's fastest-growing web hosting platforms designed for the reseller market and enterprise.

Since opening the doors of the first Hard Rock Cafe in London in 1971, Hard Rock International has established itself as one of the most globally recognised companies in the world. The brand is kicking off its anniversary celebrations by unveiling a new partnership with footballer Lionel Messi, who will serve as brand ambassador for the next five years, as the first athlete to partner with Hard Rock.  

The partnership harkens back to Hard Rock’s roots, as the brand’s world-famous T-shirts came to fruition when the original London Cafe sponsored a local football (soccer) team in the early 1970s. The team T-shirt featured the simple Hard Rock logo. The extra shirts were returned to the cafe and then given away to loyal customers. Eventually the restaurant had to set up a separate concession stand to handle T-shirt sales. To this day, Hard Rock’s Classic T-shirt remains an integral part of the brand’s identity. 

As part of the new partnership, Hard Rock has also unveiled a new collection of merchandise inspired by its new ambassador. In addition to the special 50th anniversary logo, the garments show some of the player's most characteristic symbols, such as the lion, the number 10 and his own logo.  This collection joins the brand's iconic merchandising line, available in all its stores and online shop.

“Over the past five decades, the Hard Rock brand has grown to become one of the world’s most recognizable and beloved brands, with a Cafe, Hotel or Casino located in 68 countries,” said Jim Allen, Chairman of Hard Rock International. "As we reached our 50^th anniversary milestone, we knew that we needed to partner with an icon to help us celebrate in a new and unexpected way, and there was no better choice than the legendary Lionel Messi.”   

“I am honoured to partner with such a renowned brand as Hard Rock, and even more so at this historic moment - its 50th anniversary!” said Lionel Messi. “Sports and music are an integral part of my life, a perfect combination between my profession and my leisure time. Uniting both is a great success, and I am very happy that they have counted on me for this special outcome. It is an honour to be the first athlete to partner with a brand who has a history of teaming with music legends."

Allen and Messi have sealed this agreement with an original gift exchange. Messi has given him a signed replica of his golden ball, a gesture that Allen has reciprocated with an electric guitar designed especially for him. A replica of this guitar, signed by the player, will be displayed at a Hard Rock property to be announced soon, making it part of the most valuable collection of musical objects in the world.

The partnership is part of "Live Greatness", the new campaign that Hard Rock has launched on its 50^th anniversary, which marks a before and after in the brand, honouring its past and while shining a beacon of light towards the future. 

As part of the campaign, Messi makes his debut as an ambassador starring in a commercial that unites his skills with the soccer ball as it takes its place among the cherished memorabilia of the brand.

June 14, 2021 marks the 50^th Anniversary of Hard Rock Cafe opening its doors in London. To kick off this milestone, Hard Rock Café Manchester will be offering HRC Country Burgers for 71p during the first hour.

Courier-centric digital platform launches operations in Bristol, Manchester, and Cambridge; company CEO pledges ‘same passion, swiftness and rider advocacy’ in new operations as rapidly growing start-up eyes European territories.

Ryders, fast becoming a disruptive force in the UK's last-mile delivery market, today announced it has expanded its national operations to Bristol, Manchester, and Cambridge amid growing demand for its unique commitment to riders, and its ability to offer same-day delivery pledges to customers.

The company is also eyeing European markets for expansion by the end of the year, spurred by observations of investor sentiment favouring last-mile courier businesses with substantially better records on workers' rights.

"Our riders-first ethos got us immediate recognition in the British last-mile market," said Duncan Mitchell, CEO of Ryders. "We were able to grow on the back of that promise to the point where we could offer instant delivery and grow our partner network."

Ryders recently joined forces with Shopify partner Zapiet for exclusive last-mile delivery in the UK. Zapiet was largely enticed by Ryders' focus on improving conditions for couriers, merchants, and aggregators.

"We will bring the same passion, swiftness, and rider advocacy to our operations in Bristol, Manchester, and Cambridge, and we have every confidence that Europe will be a future success story for us," Mitchell added.

Ryders' last-mile delivery platform supports businesses in the management and scaling of their internal workforces alongside an on-demand rider pool. Since its launch in 2020, it has seen escalations in both demand and expectations regarding one-hour and instant delivery. Research by Supply Chain Dive in the US shows one-third of 18-to-24-year-olds to be "frustrated" with slow deliveries. And the World Economic Forum has predicted a 78% surge in worldwide demand for last-mile delivery by 2030. Further research from Fixlastmile has shown that 66% of millennials are looking for one-hour delivery options.

"From eCommerce and fashion retail to the innovative start-ups that are looking to disrupt their industries, Ryders stands as the go-to last-mile option as these companies look to keep pace with changing consumer expectations," said Mitchell. "We are committed to helping companies of all scales live up to their pledges of swift delivery first time, every time."

Ryders' advanced technology seamlessly integrates with any other platform, connecting businesses to a ready fleet of on-demand couriers, and levelling playing fields in industries traditionally dominated by larger companies with dedicated fleets. And as enterprises come under increased scrutiny for ethical workplace practices, Ryders is the ideal partner to protect couriers' rights.

Ryders has become a major force in the UK last-mile delivery market. It posted 1,000% month-on-month revenue growth in its first three months of operations. Founded on a promise to give the nation's gig economy a makeover, Ryders has seen more than 4,000 couriers join its platform and has reached an onboarding average of 300 per week. Its corporate team has doubled in size each month to meet swelling demand.

Strive Masiyiwa, a 60-year old Zimbabwe-born telecommunication tycoon who moved to London in 2010, has officially been named as the UK's first Black billionaire, according to the Sunday Times' Rich List. He also serves as the African Union's special envoy helping secure COVID-19 vaccines for various countries throughout the continent of Africa.

Masiyiwa, whose family fled unrest in Zimbabwe when he was just 7-years old, first made it to the Forbes billionaire sheet in 2018, with his total worth estimated to be around $2.3 billion. Earlier this month, he has also been listed as a billionaire on the Sunday Times Rich Times.

Strive is the founder of Econet Wireless, which is Zimbabwe's largest telecom and largest company by market capitalization. He launched the company in 1998 despite opposition from then-President Robert Mugabe and fought a costly legal battle for 5 years before it was given the go signal to operate.

He eventually launched a new Econet Wireless group, which now operates in Africa, Europe, South America, and the East Asia Pacific Rim. Masiyiwa is also currently a member of the Netflix and Unilever boards of directors.

A father of six and now living in London, he is one of the most prolific African philanthropists, providing scholarships to over 250,000 young Africans in the last 20 years. He continues to do so through Higherlife Foundation, which he and his wife Tsitsi founded.

Most recently, he helped seal a historic agreement with Johnson & Johnson for 400 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines for Africa.

The Mayor of Wolverhampton has sent his congratulations to five charitable organisations from the city who have been awarded the country’s highest award for voluntary service. Big Ventre Centre, Friends of Bantock House, The Well Foodbank, TLC College and Wednesfield in Bloom have all been included as recipients of this year’s prestigious Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS) - known as the MBE for the voluntary sector.

Wolverhampton’s five award recipients were among 241 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups across the country to receive the prestigious award for 2021.

The Big Venture Centre (BVC), based in Chesterton Road, The Scotlands, is a community centre with a “very special caring culture” which provides a wide range of services for all ages including its own radio station, tranquillity garden, café, a befriending service for the elderly, help for victims of domestic violence, advice on money management and during the pandemic centre volunteers have delivered meals and activity packs to families in need and provided socially-distanced doorstep chats to people living alone. All of this and much more is provided by a team of eight main volunteers and 15 helpers.

The Friends of Bantock House is a small charity that has been operating for more than 20 years and is run by 20 dedicated volunteers. The Friends are an enthusiastic and ambitious team who have transformed the Edwardian house, museum and park into a vital and vibrant asset that enriches the lives of many city residents and visitors.

The Well operates city-wide and provides emergency food parcels and toiletries to people in acute need across Wolverhampton and is run by around 100 volunteers. They helped around 10,500 people last year with demand increasing during the pandemic.

TLC College, based in Dunstall, was established in 1997, as a ‘not for profit’ organisation to help local communities, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, with training, education and a diverse range of support services. The college promotes well-being, community cohesion, confidence building and offers accessible adult skill courses and youth development activities. It offers volunteer roles in various areas such as teaching, reception, admin and childcare. Its job search programme covers CV writing, applications, interview skills and business mentoring.

Wednesfield In Bloom has been running for four years to provide the town with the beauty and colour of flowers.  The team of 55 regular volunteers organise, run and promote the project and are joined by others for specific projects. Their green skills have been recognised with prestigious Heart of England in Bloom awards (2016, 2017, 2018). They received the Gold Community Achievement Award 2019 and were the category winner for Urban Community and as a result have been nominated in the Britain in Bloom finals.

Mayor of the City of Wolverhampton, Councillor Greg Brackenridge said, “I wish to pass on my heartfelt congratulations to the five organisations from Wolverhampton which have been given this most prestigious award recognising outstanding voluntary service. 

“We have a thriving voluntary sector in our city where people who care about their fellow Wulfrunians go out of their way and do the most amazing things to enhance and improve the lives of others.

“I am incredibly proud of the organisations named today as recipients of the QAVS and for Wolverhampton to have the most of any area in the region, five out of the 13 announced today in total across the entire West Midlands, is a huge credit to everyone concerned.”  

The Lord-Lieutenant of the West Midlands, John Crabtree OBE said; “Through the activities of the West Midlands Lieutenancy, I come across many people providing amazing support and giving their time to help others. It is heart-warming to see so many of these organisations gain the recognition they deserve. I am so grateful for everything they do and am thrilled that we can praise their efforts through the QAVS Honour.

“These special charities make such an effort to support others and, like many people and organisations, have faced some huge challenges in the way they supported their community through the pandemic last year. It is truly inspirational to hear the lengths and imaginative ways the volunteers have gone to in order to provide what is often a lifeline to so many who are vulnerable and in need.” 

Severn Trent is backing a new government campaign to help small businesses go green, as part of the UK’s drive to net zero.

The UK Government has launched its ‘Business Climate Leader’ campaign, encouraging small businesses to cut their emissions to net zero by 2050 or sooner. The water and waste company is playing its part by encouraging its own supply chain to make this pledge, and urging other businesses across the region to do the same.

Small businesses who make a net zero commitment will be recognised by the United Nations Race to Zero initiative. It’s a scheme Severn Trent signed up to earlier in the year, building on its own Triple Carbon Pledge of net zero emissions, 100% energy from renewable sources, and a 100% electric fleet by 2030.

Severn Trent CEO Liv Garfield said: “We’re proud to support the government’s ‘Business Climate Leader’ campaign, helping small businesses across the region to reach net zero by 2050 or sooner.

“We’ll be encouraging our own supply chain to do the same, working together in the fight against climate change. We’re already working with them on science-based targets, as we look to help the Midlands region build back greener from the pandemic.”

Last week, the company revealed plans to invest £565m over the next four years to help the environment and improve infrastructure across the Midlands, as well as creating 2,500 new jobs as part of an ambitious Green Recovery programme.

Severn Trent has also been named official nature & carbon neutral supporter of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games - including plans to create 2022 acres of brand-new forest and 72 tiny forests – each representing one of the competing nations and territories.

Small businesses who want to make a difference can register their zero commitment on the government’s new UK Business Climate Hub.

City of Wolverhampton Council has secured a deal to house the first ministerial department outside of London at the city’s new i9 office building.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) will make the eye-catching Grade A and WiredScore Gold development its joint headquarters when construction is completed later this year. It will take up the ground and fourth floors, housing hundreds of staff, including ministers and senior civil servants, with the Council currently supporting MHCLG with recruitment for new vacancies.

The Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for City Economy, Councillor Stephen Simkins, said: “This is a huge vote of confidence in the City of Wolverhampton. The Council has worked hard to make this happen and we are delighted that our city has been chosen to host this historic move away from Whitehall. 

“It’s also a big endorsement of the Council’s ambitious plans to invest in – and develop – a new multi-million-pound commercial district in the heart of the city centre, right next to our new, award winning railway station with its excellent connections to London, Birmingham and Manchester. We are currently enjoying record levels of private and public investment with £4.4billion pounds on site or in the pipeline.

“Now, the kudos of being the first place outside of Whitehall to host a Government department will create a real buzz and interest in our city, attracting further investment which is exactly what we want to be able to ‘relight’ Wolverhampton after the pandemic. The city is the ideal location in the heart of the country, with enviable connectivity to the rest of the West Midlands and beyond.

“When the idea of MHCLG moving out of London was first discussed last year, the Council, local MPs and other stakeholders lobbied hard to make it a reality and that has paid off. This move could even inspire the next generation of homegrown civil servants and I look forward to developing a long-term partnership with Government that can maximise our plans for the City Learning Quarter, potentially leading to an academy for the Civil Service.”

i9 is located at the heart of Wolverhampton’s new £150million Interchange and is ideally placed to benefit from HS2 which will cut journey times to London and elsewhere dramatically. The city is also becoming one of the most digitally connected cities in the UK, with 5G and gigabit speed, full fibre broadband being rolled out at pace. 

i9 emerged following the success of the award-winning i10 complex on the opposite side of Railway Drive. The Council and leading property developer, Ion, selected Glenn Howells Architects’ design for i9 as the winner from a strong field of ten UK leading architects and urban design practices in a national design competition.

Contractors GRAHAM are progressing works and the building is planned for completion this summer. The finished development will provide up to 50,000 sq ft of Grade A office space, which has potential for 5,600 sq ft of retail or leisure space.

It is the next step in developing a thriving commercial quarter at the heart of Wolverhampton Interchange - bringing further investment and jobs to the city. The Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is also supporting the development of i9.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “I’m pleased to announce that the i9 building will be our new home in Wolverhampton and look forward to opening the office later this year.

“This department is leading the effort to level up every corner of the country, so it is absolutely right that we bring decision-making to the heart of the communities we serve. I hope that this vote of confidence in Wolverhampton helps the city to attract other employees and further investment.

“We are already recruiting in Wolverhampton and over time this move will bring hundreds of jobs and exciting careers in the UK Civil Service to the city and the West Midlands. I look forward to welcoming staff to our new headquarters and as a Wulfrunian myself, will be working from the office as often as I can and enjoying the city once again.”

Downtown in Business is back to doing what it does best, hosting a flurry of events over the past fortnight as COVID restrictions are slowly lifted.

Celebrating a special commendation from the national Event Production Show awards this week, for the best in-person ‘non-music’ event in 2020, the ‘Livercool’ Conference in December last year, Head of Events Heather Thornton said:

“We have hosted six events across the country during the past fortnight, and the response we have had has been excellent. There is a genuine appetite for people to be out and about again, and it is fantastic to see business leaders and entrepreneurs being able to engage in-person again – without being told every fifteen minutes ‘You’re on Mute.”

“A huge thank you to all those who have attended, and particular thanks to the venues who have been so welcoming to DIB as we return to what is a bonanza of events for the rest of the year.”

Sustainable cooling experts are creating a roadmap to help reach the UK’s 2050 net-zero carbon emissions target, whilst maintaining food security for consumers and economic opportunity for the country’s food industry, as the University of Birmingham secures £2.9 million of UK Government funding announced today for energy-related projects.

Backed by £1.4 million of UKRI funding, the four-year Zero Emission Cold-Chain (ZECC) project will create the first detailed road map to allow the UK food cold chain industry to identify opportunities to reduce emissions.

Led by the University of Birmingham, the project includes experts from Heriot-Watt University, London South Bank University and Cranfield University - highlighting ways in which the industry can become more competitive whilst heading towards zero-carbon.

In parallel at the University of Birmingham and supported by £1.5 million of UKRI funding, the Heat Accumulation from Renewables with Valid Energy Storage and Transformation (HARVEST) project will develop new heat storage and conversion technology to help ensure that renewable electricity is stored in times of less electricity demand and ready for use to meet high heating demand in winter and high cooling demand in summer.

ZECC project leader Toby Peters, Professor of Cold Economy at the University of Birmingham, commented: “Much of UK’s food is dependent on the cold food chain, which is also a significant contributor to the country’s energy demand. Our project is about thinking thermally and analysing engineering, energy resources, food quality and safety, finance and business aspects to crack the conundrum of sustainable decarbonisation of cooling and the cold-chain.

“We’re bringing together world-leading researchers, industry, technology innovators and customers such as farmers and retailers to look at the whole system and map the opportunities and challenges to ensuring that the chain can support UK-wide Net Zero goals and decarbonise while also meeting demand and being resilient.”

Professor Peters, who is also a visiting professor at Heriot-Watt University added that the food cold chain is complex and lacks integration between sectors. Technological challenges exist, but many decarbonisation issues are techno-economic or behavioural. The project provides fresh analysis in a field yet to be researched from a system approach, also targeting food loss in line with the Sustainable Development Goals of United Nations (12.3).

Researchers will identify how sustainability of the cold-chain system can be increased by exploring integrated measures covering societal, technical, operational and economic perspectives across:

·         Reduce: Reducing the need for cooling, ensuring optimal conditions for food

·         Shift: Transitioning to more sustainable technologies and working fluids and taking    different approaches to cooling

·         Improve: Enhance equipment and operation efficiency

·         Aggregate: synergies within the cold-chain to better integrate different cooling demands into single system

The project aims to deliver energy savings, significantly reduced postharvest food losses and better quality of product to UK industry and policy makers, as well as reduced emissions related to crop loss, by:

·         Updating information on energy usage and CO₂ emissions;

·         Assessing how to maintain the quality and safety of fresh produce in the supply chain;

·         Designing strategies to reduce food loss;

·         Evaluating future cooling energy consumption demands and their impact on UK energy;

·         Using a systems approach to explore how to manage cooling demand; and

·         Determining areas of intervention considering available energy and thermal resources, emission targets and other commitments as well as costs.

The HARVEST project sees researchers at Birmingham working in partnership with their counterparts at University of Edinburgh and UCL to develop a microwave-assisted process to flexibly absorb electricity and then regenerate it through reaction between thermochemical materials and ammonia solution.

HARVEST project lead Dr Yongliang Li, from the University of Birmingham, commented: “Great Britain curtailed wind power on 75% of days in 2020, with over 3.6TWh of wind power being turned off in total. The HARVEST project will develop new decentralised heat storage and conversion technology to meet high heating demand in winter and high cooling demand in summer.”

UK Minister for Climate Change Lord Callanan said: “The way we use energy in our buildings makes up almost a third of all UK carbon emissions. Reducing that to virtually zero is going to be key to eradicating our contribution to climate change by 2050.

 “That’s why it’s important that innovative projects like HARVEST and ZECC in Birmingham receive backing to develop new and effective ways to heat and cool our homes and workspaces, helping drive down the costs of low-carbon technologies so everyone can feel the benefits of cheaper and greener energy.”

The recent tractor theft from celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s farm in Essex has put the spotlight on rural crime, at a time when farmers across the UK are voicing fears of increased targeting by thieves. Tracker, the stolen vehicle recovery (SVR) expert, is urging rural communities to protect themselves from casual criminals and organised gangs focusing on farms, and calls for extra vigilance, reminding owners to look at ways to protect their vehicles, farm equipment and machinery.

The recent National Farmers’ Union (NFU) rural crime survey of farmers across 10 regions in England and Wales found:

·         Overall, 31% said that they experienced at least one crime during 2020.

·         42% of crime victims reported at least one instance of theft with the most common types of items targeted being tools / equipment (17%) and vehicles / machinery (12%).

·         Those affected by crime in 2020 saw estimated average losses of £4,473.

·         59% of farmers surveyed feel that rural crime in their area has increased during the past year (64%) in East Anglia.

Clive Wain, Head of Police Liaison for Tracker commented: “The lifting of restrictions across the UK are a double-edged sword for the farming and agricultural sectors; it brings social and economic relief for many but also fears of a release in pent up criminal activity.

“Unfortunately, East Anglia, where Jamie Oliver lives, typically experiences a higher-than-average crime rate due to the thieves making the most of quick access to nearby docks like Felixstowe. Criminal gangs will steal to order and quickly ship the goods abroad to places like Eastern Europe and North Africa, and farming equipment is high on thieves shopping lists as demand continues to grow.”  

Tractor thefts are rarer due to the sheer size of them and the logistics of moving them quickly enough to ship them abroad. However, quad bikes and All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) used on farms are popular targets for thieves; these types of farm vehicles have basic onboard tech, are a compact size to transport in a shipping container and they are often not registered for road use, making them more difficult to readily identify,

“Thankfully, farmers are responding to the rise by taking extra crime prevention measures such as blocking field entrances, digging ditches around fields and most importantly upgrading building security and installing CCTV. Another security strategy is to fit tracking units. Whilst it won’t necessarily stop the vehicle or equipment from being stolen, it will significantly increase the prospect of successful recovery and return to the rightful owner if this happens,” concludes Wain.

80% of stolen vehicles recovered by Tracker are recovered within 24 hours thanks to its exclusive partnership with the UK’s police. A John Deere Tractor worth £25,000 was recovered in Newark in under 24 hours with one other non-Tracker fitted tractor, a valuable Honda TRX500 quad bike that was stolen from a farm in an extremely rural area of Midlothian, a John Deere Gator stolen from a Leicestershire farm, and a Land Rover Defender stolen from Cambridgeshire, are just a few of the assets recently recovered by Tracker.

Tracker’s SVR solutions work like an electronic homing device. A covert transmitter is hidden in one of several dozen places around the vehicle. There is no visible aerial, so the thief won’t even know it’s there. The combination of VHF with GPS/GSM technology, unique to Tracker, makes its units resistant to jamming, confirming Tracker as a superior security defence against determined thieves.

NFU Mutual policyholders can benefit from up to 12.5% discounts on policies covering a tractor or quad bike with a Tracker device fitted.

Simple steps to better protect quad bikes and ATVs:

·         Always remove keys from the vehicle and store them securely.

·         Do not leave the vehicle unattended in fields or visible from roads.

·         Store vehicles in the most secure building on the farm, preferably covered by CCTV or visible from the house or road, and in a well-lit area to deter thieves.

·         Invest in a quad vice or ground stake and chain to add a physical barrier to slow down thieves and prevent opportunistic thefts.

·         Be diligent about always using deterrents and locks such as ram locks, steering lock, pedal locks and immobilisers.

·         Install a tracking device so the vehicle can be located quickly in the event of a theft, to avoid down time and protect insurance premiums. Tracker devices use a unique combination of GPS/GSM and VHF technology to ensure vehicles can be located if stored underground, in a shipping container, or taken to Europe.

Professional services firm PwC has appointed Darren Jukes as its Midlands corporate finance deals senior partner. He brings over 25 years corporate finance experience and has advised private businesses, corporates and private equity clients on a broad range of transactions from finance raising through to divestments.

Darren began his career with PwC in Birmingham in 1992, where he was involved in a wide range of transactions, many involving private, entrepreneurial businesses in the region. His experience spans a wide range of sectors including automotive, aerospace, industrial manufacturing and energy sectors with a significant number of these international deals. 

In 2007 Darren moved to London to lead the firm's corporate finance focus on the industrials sector, and also worked in Germany with PwC’s business recovery team advising on several large, automotive restructurings, before returning to London to continue his focus within industry. Alongside his corporate finance role, Darren is the independent senior partner to a number of high-profile clients where he acts as a board level advisor on a broad range of topics from organisational change and transformation through to portfolio reviews and M&A strategies. Darren takes over from Matt Waddell, who retired last month after 35 years with PwC.

Welcoming the appointment, Matthew Hammond, Midlands Region Leader and Birmingham Senior Partner at PwC, commented: “Firstly, I would like to thank Matt Waddell for his dedication, enthusiasm, expertise and long service.  Matt worked tirelessly to place us at the heart of the Deals market and led many transactions for entrepreneurial private businesses owners and private equity to create value. 

“I am delighted that Darren is appointed to lead our Midlands Corporate Finance business reflecting our Midlands commitment and Industrials sector focus. Darren has extensive experience of managing large corporate finance deals, organisational change and transformation.  Darren has successfully led a wide range of Deals and other advisory work for our clients which will help grow our corporate finance business further.”

On his appointment, Darren Jukes said: “I’m delighted  to take on this role and return to the Midlands to build on the existing momentum our corporate finance business has built within the region: a region with a rich heritage in the automotive, manufacturing, retail and consumer sectors and one that’s home to an amazing array of exciting, innovative, technology-led private businesses. 

“I am particularly proud of the work we have been doing with our clients during such a challenging time, which continues to have a significant impact on businesses and the local economy. We are working hard to support our clients who are acting now to recover by helping clients adapt and respond effectively in this evolving landscape.”

Peter Crowther has become the first person to purchase a vehicle from Motorpoint through the Clean Air Zone Vehicle Scrappage and Travel Scheme. The UK’s largest independent car retailer, which has branches in Aston and Oldbury, was recently selected by Birmingham City Council to help deliver the £10m Clean Air Zone Vehicle Scrappage and Travel Scheme. 

Under the scheme, which went live on May 12, people who work in the zone and earn less than £30,000 per annum, will now be able to scrap their vehicle with Motorpoint. In exchange, they will receive £2,000 credit towards a compliant vehicle. And Peter, who works within the Faculty of Arts, Design and Media at Birmingham City University, became the first person in the West Midlands to take advantage of the scheme to buy himself a Skoda Fabia to use to commute between home in Willenhall and work in Central Birmingham.

“I’ve had my Nissan Note for about five years,” explained 29-year-old Peter, “during which time I’ve done over 100,000 miles with work, firstly with BBC WM and then, more recently, 5Live in Salford. However, it was getting close to its MOT and I knew I would have to spend a lot of money to get it to pass, and I didn’t think it was worth it given its value.

“Then I heard about the scheme and I would be lying if I said that the £2,000 credit towards a new car wasn’t a factor in deciding to change now as it has really helped in terms of affordability. Ironically, whilst this is the third car that I have owned, this will be the first that I have actually bought from a dealer, as the other two were through family and friends, but the experience has been really good with everyone at Motorpoint being really helpful throughout.”

Peter added: “I am really happy to have taken advantage of the Clean Air Zone Vehicle Scrappage and Travel Scheme and get on the road with a much newer and a much cleaner car, especially one from Motorpoint which also comes with the rest of the manufacturer’s warranty, giving me added peace of mind.”

The Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone goes live on June 1, 2021. From this date the owners of vehicles that do not meet the emission standards of the Clean Air Zone will be subject to a daily fee of £8 to enter the zone. The Clean Air Zone is an area of Birmingham city centre inside the A4540 Middleway (but not the Middleway itself).

Kevin Cartwright, General Manager of Motorpoint Birmingham and Oldbury, added: “We’re delighted to see our first customer drive off the forecourt in their new car through the Clean Air Zone Vehicle Scrappage and Travel Scheme. Peter really couldn’t have been happier. His Skoda Fabia is not only fully Clean Air Zone compliant ahead of June 1 but offers a level of comfort, reliability and low running costs that he didn’t enjoy previously, and which I am sure he will appreciate in the coming weeks and months.”

Motorpoint currently has over hundreds of low mileage, nearly new cars and light commercial vehicles available from over 30 different manufacturers at its branches in the West Midlands – all of which are fully Clean Air Zone compliant. Every vehicle from Motorpoint comes with the balance of manufacturer’s warranty backed by the Motorpoint Price Promise. This means Motorpoint will refund the difference to any customer within seven days of their order if they find the same car cheaper from a competitor.

As a bonus, it will also give the customer £50 worth of Amazon vouchers to spend. Plus, as part of the company’s on-going COVID-19 safeguarding processes, all vehicle collections will be completed in specially designated areas to always guarantee social distancing while an online portal means the car buying experience is completely paperless with customers able to sign for their new car using their mobile phone.

The unemployment rate for Black and minority ethnic (BME) workers in the West Midlands has risen at six times the speed of the unemployment rate for white workers over the last year, according to a new TUC analysis of official statistics. 

The analysis was published as the TUC takes part in a week of campaigning on racial equality to mark the first anniversary of George Floyd’s murder. 

BME unemployment in the West Midlands. The TUC analysis of figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveals that in the West Midlands, the BME unemployment rate rocketed from 5.5% to 12.1% between the final quarter of 2019 and the final quarter of 2020.  

Over the same period, the white unemployment rate increased from 4.1% to 4.9%. That means 1 in 8 BME workers in the West Midlands are now unemployed, compared to 1 in 25 white workers. Nationally, the BME unemployment rate nationally shot up from 5.8% to 9.5%, while the unemployment rate for white workers rose from 3.4% to 4.5%. 

The TUC suggests the West Midlands may have seen such a high increase in BME unemployment because of a higher concentration in the region of the kinds of jobs that BME people often do, and that have been lost in the pandemic – like retail and hospitality. 

TUC Regional Secretary Lee Barron said: “Everyone deserves a decent and secure job. But Covid-19 has held a mirror up to the discrimination in our labour market. 

“BME workers in the West Midlands have really felt the impact of the pandemic. They’ve been more likely to have lost their jobs – working in industries like hospitality and retail that have been hit hard by unemployment. When they've kept their jobs, we know that they are more likely to be in insecure and low-paid work that has put them at greater risk from the virus. Many have paid with their lives. 

“This crisis must be a turning point. Ministers must hold down unemployment, create good new jobs and challenge the systematic discrimination that holds BME workers back.”

The TUC is calling on government to: 

·         Create good new jobs. We could create 1.2 million new jobs in the next two years in clean green infrastructure, and by unlocking public sector vacancies. 

·         Introduce mandatory ethnicity pay gap reporting and make employers publish action plans to ensure fair wages for BME workers in the workplace. 

·         Ban zero-hours contracts and strengthen the rights of insecure workers – which will have a disproportionate impact on BME workers. 

·         Publish all the equality impact assessments related to its response to Covid-19 and be transparent about how it considers BME communities in policy decisions. 

·         Give more financial support for people who have lost their jobs. Without a boost to universal credit, many will be pushed into poverty. 

• The TUC analysis is based on ONS labour market statistics Q4 2019 and Q4 2020:

x = numbers too small to be used. 

TUC anti-racism task force: The TUC has launched an anti-racism task force, chaired by NASUWT General Secretary Dr Patrick Roach, to tackle the structural racism with the labour market – and wider society.

The task force will lead the trade union movement’s renewed campaign against racism at work. It will engage with Black workers across the UK to hear about their experiences. And it will produce recommendations on tackling structural racism in the UK, in workplaces and in unions themselves.  

The West Midlands Rail Executive (WMRE) has today welcomed the publication of the Government’s new Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail.

WMRE, the public sector body which jointly specifies and manages the region’s West Midlands Railway services in partnership with the Department for Transport, believes the plan can help the rail network adapt and meet changing post-COVID requirements.

Councillor Peter Butlin, chair of WMRE, said: “This is an historic moment for the West Midlands rail network as it brings to an end a quarter of a century of inefficient fragmentation within the rail industry.

“The Williams-Shapps Plan sets out a clear vision for a greener, more customer-focussed railway, based on collaboration and the devolution of key decision-making to the most appropriate regional level. The rail industry urgently needs to adapt to the changing post-COVID requirements of passenger and freight customers, and the proposals put forward in today’s Government White Paper should help ensure that the railway is able to respond to current and future challenges in a more effective, more efficient and more sustainable way.”

Other key “Williams-Shapps” proposals welcomed by WMRE include:

·         The introduction of flexible season tickets to assist commuters in adjusting to new ways of post-COVID working

·         A more integrated ‘one stop shop’ approach to retailing of different train operator tickets, a simpler, more easily understandable ticketing structure and a more consistent passenger offer

·         A focus on reducing inefficiency and unnecessary duplication of activity within the rail industry and lowering whole industry costs

·         Faster delivery of rail network enhancements and new stations and services

Malcolm Holmes, WMRE’s executive director and Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) director of rail, welcomed the Government’s commitment in the plan to a modern and green railway with a focus on decarbonisation and improving air quality.

“Tackling air quality at city centre stations such as Birmingham New Street should rightly be a priority for the new ‘Great British Railways’ organisation,” he said. “We can hopefully now also look forward to progressing the further electrification of our West Midlands rail network, starting with the Birmingham Snow Hill lines which link Warwick, Stratford-upon-Avon and Solihull with the Jewellery Quarter, Cradley Heath, Stourbridge, Kidderminster and Worcester.”

Ahead of the Government announcement, WMRE has been instrumental in driving forward regional changes on the network with the establishment of the West Midlands Grand Rail Collaboration (WMGRC). 

The WMGRC has successfully brought together infrastructure owner Network Rail, passenger and freight operators, passenger representatives and rail industry specifiers/funders to enable a more co-ordinated, pan-industry approach to rail service provision and rail infrastructure improvements.

One example of this new approach has been the recent replacement of track on the Stourbridge Town branch line, resulting in an improved passenger experience for users of the popular “Stourbridge Shuttle”. West Midlands Rail Executive is the partnership of 16 West Midlands Local Authorities co-managing the West Midlands Railway franchise with the Department for Transport, and planning the strategic future of the West Midlands rail network in conjunction with rail industry and local authority partners.

Health workers across the West Midlands are appealing to the public this week to back their campaign so NHS staff can receive a proper pay rise before the summer, says UNISON.  

Over the next few days, hospital porters, clerical workers, cleaners, nurses, healthcare assistants and other NHS staff will be urging people to contact their local MPs to keep up the pay pressure on the government. Health workers in Scotland will soon receive a wage rise – of at least 4% – backdated to December after the government there found extra resources to fund the increase.   

NHS staff in the rest of the UK are not so fortunate, says UNISON. The Prime Minister insists everyone else must wait until the NHS pay review body reports, which won’t be until at least July. Health workers were due a pay rise at the beginning of last month – almost seven weeks ago, says UNISON. 
 

The union’s been making the case for a minimum wage boost of at least £2,000 for staff. The government’s suggested an increase of just 1%. By now, NHS staff would be £250 better off if UNISON’s 2k pay claim had been implemented on April 1. 

Instead, staff feel increasingly taken for granted, worn out by the pandemic and overwhelmed at tackling the Covid backlog of cancelled appointments and operations. As a result, many may soon leave the NHS altogether, fears UNISON. Although there’s now significantly fewer Covid patients in hospital than at the January peak, the pressure is still very much on staff, says UNISON.  

Figures published last week show waiting lists are the longest ever. Across the Midlands, more than 361,000 people are now having to wait more than 18 weeks for treatment. Over 84,500 have been waiting over a year.    

Health workers will be touring Birmingham, Stoke, Nuneaton, Walsall, Shrewsbury, Coventry and Wolverhampton in a campaign bus this week and next. This is to garner public support and send a strong message to the government that NHS staff deserve better. 

UNISON West Midlands head of health Chanel Willis said: “NHS staff have given their all during the pandemic. They’ll continue to do so to clear the backlog caused by Covid. But despite their incredible efforts, the government says a meagre 1% rise is all they’re worth.    

“The length of waiting lists across the West Midlands shows the huge challenges still facing the NHS. A decent wage increase paid soon could stop staff feeling unloved and taken for granted, and perhaps be enough to persuade many thinking of walking to stay.”  

Staff in UNISON branches based in NHS hospitals, ambulance stations and clinics across the West Midlands are using social media and taking part in socially distanced events.