Bradford city centre has been chosen as the location for the UK’s first Green Street action research pilot that aims to help small and independent businesses go green. Led by successful Bradford retailer and businesswoman Victoria Robertshaw, with initial funding from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Green Street is supported by the Retail Sector Council (RSC), Bradford Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority (with support from the European Regional Development Fund). Bradford city centre businesses are now being urged to sign up to Green Street with 30 retail and hospitality businesses selected to take part in […]
The post Bradford chosen for first Green Street sustainable retail pilot first appeared on Connect East Midlands.

Construction firms are being targeted by cyber criminals with fake invoices and bank details as part of a sophisticated fraud netting more than £100m a year in the UK. Mandate Fraud, also known as Payment Diversion Fraud (PDF) and Business Email Compromise (BEC), tends to affect businesses and customers where electronic financial transactions are common place, such as the construction industry. Criminals will contact businesses or customers via email, usually claiming to be from a company that the business or customer has been dealing with. They will request a payment to be made via fake but very plausible invoices, or […]
The post Construction firms targeted by online criminals in growing scam first appeared on Connect East Midlands.

Contractor Henry Brothers has delivered a new joint headquarters for Nottinghamshire Police and Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service. The three-storey building at Sherwood Lodge in Arnold, Nottingham, contains shared office space, conference rooms, a new multi-agency strategic and tactical control room, a new police control room, new training classrooms, a sports hall, gymnasium and canteen. Other key features include the completion of a new circular access road, the installation of an outdoor exercise trail for staff and a joint memorial garden dedicated to the memory of staff from both organisations who have died in service. The building was constructed on […]
The post Henry Brothers hands over new police and fire service headquarters first appeared on Connect East Midlands.

It has been revealed that more than half of UK businesses feel that working from home during the pandemic has left their IT systems more susceptible to cyberattacks. One in 10 firms said they have been the victim of a cyberattack in the last year, rising to one in 7 for larger firms. The findings were published in a survey by British Chambers of Commerce in conjunction with Cisco, a world leader in the IT and cyber security industry. Despite these revelations, four out of 5 respondents said they did not have accredited cyber security measures in place to prevent […]
The post Hybrid working increases cyber risk for East Midlands businesses first appeared on Connect East Midlands.

Constructing a new home is quite challenging. From laying a strong consideration to choosing eco-friendly and safe fittings and fixtures, it comes along with a huge list of considerations. All of us wish to make our house a safe place to live. Unfortunately, some people do not take appropriate steps to ensure gas safety, which may result in huge losses later on. So, if you are planning to construct a new home, make sure to check the gas safety. 1.     Obtain New Build Gas Certificate Gas safety is essential when constructing a new home. Some countries require a New Build […]
The post Gas Safety: Be Gas Safe When You Construct A New Home first appeared on Connect East Midlands.

NFU Mutual Offices in Ashbourne, Bakewell and Chapel-en-le-Frith have joined forces to create a brand new flagship agency – NFU Mutual Derbyshire Peaks. The new agency has retained the offices and staff in each of the towns which will ensure that the high level of customer service backed with a local knowledge will continue to be provided. The new Derbyshire Peaks Agency, with local agents Paul Cook, Philip Burnip, Ben Hiles and Trish Winterbottom at the helm, brings together a combined 60 years’ knowledge. This pooled resource will directly benefit customers who can draw on broader expertise for a variety […]
The post NFU Mutual offices join forces to create new ‘Derbyshire Peaks’ flagship agency first appeared on Connect East Midlands.

David Wilson Homes is celebrating the success of its Burnmill Grange development in Market Harborough, which is now over 60% sold. The established community on Burnmill Road has seen a range of homebuyers secure their place over the summer, with property seekers now being encouraged to act fast to avoid missing out. Rachael Harrison, Sales Director at David Wilson Homes East Midlands, said: “Our Burnmill Grange development has been a suburban living hotspot for prospective homeowners since its inception. “Now that we’ve only got half of the homes at Burnmill Grange left to sell, we’re encouraging anyone looking to become […]
The post LEICESTERSHIRE HOMEBUILDER’S FLEDGLING COMMUNITY REACHES THE HALFWAY POINT first appeared on Connect East Midlands.

Uttoxeter-based IT support provider INFINITY IT Solutions has completed the final stages of its integration with Air IT, following its acquisition which was announced last September. This sees the retirement of its former name and branding. Air IT is a leading supplier of managed IT and communication services, and also provides innovative cloud transformation, cyber security and business intelligence solutions to SMEs in the UK. In September 2021, INFINITY IT Solutions became one of eight businesses so far acquired by Air IT, as part of their mission to void a gap in the market for SME focussed IT providers. Air […]
The post Managed IT Services Provider INFINITY IT Solutions rebrands as Air IT following acquisition first appeared on Connect East Midlands.

Creative agency Fluid Ideas has seen revenues and staff numbers rise to record levels as it celebrates its 18th birthday this month. The Derbyshire agency began trading in January 2004 from the basement of a beauty salon and turned over £85,000 in its first year. Fluid’s revenues in its latest financial year topped £3m for the first time in its history. Increased business from existing clients and a raft of new wins helped it grow turnover by 10 per cent in the 12 months to November 30, from £2.9m to £3.2m. In line with its expansion, Fluid has seen staff […]
The post Turnover and staff numbers hit record highs as Fluid Ideas celebrates 18th birthday first appeared on Connect East Midlands.

The architect behind Nottingham’s Acres Group has designs for huge growth for 2022 after already achieving phenomenal expansion since the start of the global pandemic. Edward Acres, who founded Acres Architects from a laptop in his parents’ spare bedroom in 2008, has seen his business expand from a turnover of a few hundred thousand pounds to an empire projected to turn over £10m in less than two years. His team of three people at the start of the pandemic has expanded by around 600 per cent to 20 full-time staff in the same period – and the Acres Group is […]
The post Architect set to build on phenomenal multi-million growth first appeared on Connect East Midlands.

Head of Private Client Services and Landed Estates at PKF Smith Cooper, Catherine has welcomed the chance to play a role in shaping rural tax policy by joining the CLA’s Tax Committee. A membership organisation dedicated to upholding and highlighting the needs of land, property, and business owners in rural locations across England and Wales, the CLA is a highly regarded organisation in the sector for their level of service and support. The CLA – originally called the Country Landowners’ Association – was founded in 1907 and, remarkably, celebrated its centenary in 2007. In their work, the CLA has always […]
The post Midlands-based Catherine Desmond delighted to further support the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) by accepting a seat on the National Tax Committee first appeared on Connect East Midlands.

Leading Lincolnshire developer Barratt Homes is engaging local school pupils in the construction process with its specially designed award programme in Bourne. The developer’s Building Buddies Award aims to get children interested in the industry and raise awareness of the variety of roles available in construction. Bourne Elsea Primary School, located on the housebuilder’s development in Bourne, is the latest school to commit to the scheme and will complete Building Buddies activities throughout the remainder of the academic year with 30 Year 5 pupils. Building Buddies is broken down into four quarters and will teach young children about planning and […]
The post LINCOLNSHIRE DEVELOPER RECRUITS BUILDING BUDDIES WITH SCHOOL AWARD SCHEME first appeared on Connect East Midlands.

A RECRUITMENT specialist who has helped to fill hundreds of roles for the UK’s leading health and beauty retailer says she is looking forward to forming more personal client relationships after switching roles. Such was the skillset of Loreta Juranecaite, Derby-headquartered Sky Recruitment Solutions created a role especially for her. Her appointment as client and candidate relations manager comes at the ideal time, as the company is celebrating 50 percent growth within a year. Staff have also been working hard to cope with the UK worker shortage, as official figures show a million people moved jobs in the three months to September, […]
The post Loreta’s new role is just the job as recruitment firm enjoys 50 per cent growth first appeared on Connect East Midlands.

Industry recognition for Medichecks after expanding its product range and team during COVID pandemic The UK’s leading healthcare testing company is celebrating an award-winning 12 months as it draws its 20th anniversary year to a close. After pivoting its business to play a vital role in the fight against COVID, Medichecks has triumphed in a slew of award programmes, earning industry recognition for its efforts in ecommerce, tech innovation, leadership and employee wellbeing. The fast-growth health tech business was named Healthtech Company of the Year in the Global Business Tech Awards, where it was recognised and rewarded for providing much […]
The post Award-winning year for Nottingham healthcare company as it marks 20th anniversary first appeared on Connect East Midlands.

PKF Smith Cooper’s David Nelson – who has a huge love of sport – has been appointed to the Derbyshire Institute of Sport’s board. Keen cyclist and golfer David Nelson is Senior Partner at leading Midlands-based accountancy and advisory firm PKF Smith Cooper and has joined the board as the institute enters a new stage of sustained growth. David has a long association with amateur sports having spent seven years as finance director at UCI Professional Cycling Team Raleigh GAC – later known as Vitus Pro Cycling – as well as running local Under 13s football team Allestree Romans FC. David said: “Both myself […]
The post Derbyshire Institute of Sport gives a warm welcome to new board member, David Nelson first appeared on Connect East Midlands.

Starting the year on a positive note, and effective from 1st January, the award-winning accountancy and business advisory firm announces a string of promotions across a number of divisions. PKF Smith Cooper’s promotions across their Derby, Nottingham, and Birmingham offices follow a period of sustained, strategic growth for the Midlands firm, not only signalling its aim to continue expanding but also the focused investments in team members, which Managing Partner James Bagley cites as their “most important asset”. Within the Corporate Finance division, Tom Joy has been promoted to Corporate Finance Manager, which acknowledges the integral nature of his role […]
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Multi award-winning design, refurbishment, and fit-out specialists DSP (Interiors) Ltd Derby have supported SureScreen Diagnostics’ recent expansion with the completion of fit-out projects at a number of units at their Covid-19 test production facilities across Derby and Nottingham. The company, which is based on the Parker Industrial Estate on Mansfield Road Derby, was recommissioned by SureScreen Diagnostics after fitting-out a separate production facility for the ‘Nutrivitality’ division of the business, which manufactures world leading liquid nutritional supplements, at Eagle Park, Derby in late 2019. SureScreen has been at the forefront of the fight against Covid-19, producing antibody and more recently […]
The post DSP (INTERIORS) LTD DERBY COMPLETE RANGE OF FIT-OUT WORKS FOR SURESCREEN DIAGNOSTICS ACROSS DERBY AND NOTTINGHAM first appeared on Connect East Midlands.

Nottingham based leading specialist transport technology firm Forward Solutions is looking forward to a memorable 2022. One of the longest established firms of its type, established in 1986, Forward Solutions employs a team of almost 30 and is based on Glaisdale Drive in Nottingham. The Forward Solutions team is one of the longest established freight software development companies, providing an end-to-end solution for a wide range of operators in the UK, Europe, Asia and the US. The company provides IT systems for leading multimodal players across air freight, sea freight, road freight and rail freight. The firm started last year […]
The post Looking Forward to 2022 with 25% Growth first appeared on Connect East Midlands.

Derby’s best-loved retail destination, Derbion has announced an incredible new charity initiative for 2022, with the launch of ‘Derbion Cares’. Set up by Derbion employees, the initiative aims to support several local charities over the course of the year. East Midlands charities can apply to become one of three charities that the centre will support; this will include partnership and support in fundraising, offering of free space with Derbion for events or activities, as well as Derbion employees being given additional time off to volunteer for each given charity. The initiative officially launches in January 2022 and local charities are […]
The post Derbion announces search for local charity partners first appeared on Connect East Midlands.

Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of multi-sector construction and civil engineering projects has broken ground at Castlewood Business Park where the firm has been contracted by repeat client Clowes Developments to construct two industrial warehouses concurrently for NFU Mutual. Both facilities will be completed within a short timescale with handover scheduled for July 2022. Over 1.5 million sq ft of distribution and manufacturing space is already occupied at the site – located at Sutton-in-Ashfield, close to junction 28 of the M1 at Nottingham – by household names such as Co-op, Parker […]
The post Winvic Wins Contract to Deliver Two Industrial Warehouses for Clowes Developments first appeared on Connect East Midlands.