Shakespeare Martineau’s Birmingham office has supported engineering and manufacturing company Avingtrans plc with its £2.5m participation in a £12.9m fund raise by emerging medtech leader Adaptix.

In return for the investment and post the closing of the fund raise, Avingtrans – which designs, manufactures and supplies critical components, modules and systems to the energy, medical and industrial sectors – will own approximately 5.9% of the total issued share capital of Adaptix, which focuses on transforming radiology by allowing low-cost, low-dose 3D portable imaging.

The 2021 seasonal hiring spree is failing to live up to Christmases past as employers struggle to attract candidates amid a glut of jobs, according to new analysis by the world’s largest job site Indeed. With official data recording that there were 1.1 million vacancies in the three months to September[2], Indeed’s research reveals the huge challenge faced by employers battling to hire extra staff in the run-up to Christmas.

An instore scheme to help wilko customers recycle their masks has proved so successful that the home and garden retailer will further extend it until the end of the year. The scheme, which allows shoppers to drop off used, disposable face masks so that they can be recycled, will now be in place until the end of December 2021.

This further extension of the scheme, following an initial three-month pilot in April, sees the service remain in place at the retailer’s original 150 participating stores. 

Three digital training bootcamps funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) will enable up to 40 local people to start new careers with global technology giant UST. The digital transformation solutions company which operates worldwide with FTSE 1000 and Fortune 500 companies in areas like software products and platforms, automation and artificial intelligence, has partnered with the WMCA to recruit residents from the region.

To celebrate CISI Financial Planning Week 2021, wealth manager Charles Stanley is offering free one-hour consultations with a financial planner. Advisers in the Birmingham office will be on hand to help people understand how they can achieve financial wellbeing and identify what steps they need to take to help reach their future goals. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused much disruption to consumer personal finances, working patterns and the wider economy.

A pilot programme has been launched in Wolverhampton to offer enterprise mentoring to Black businesses in the city. Wolverhampton Black Business Network (WBBN) has joined forces with HSBC UK, who are funding the scheme until the end of March 2022 and are providing mentors to support businesses across the city.

WBBN also plans to work with City of Wolverhampton Council through events and workshops to upskill small businesses to ensure they can take advantage of procurement opportunities.