Harrogate-based employment law firm, Boardside, is celebrating its sixth year anniversary with the arrival of a new partner.

Helen Trott has spent more than 25 years as an in-house lawyer covering financial services, healthcare and fintech businesses. She has worked at board level, including as general counsel, company secretary and chief operating officer.

In the firm’s newsletter, founding partner Richard Port said Ms Trott’s appointment added a new dimension to Boardside thanks to her experience in industries that are complex from a regulatory perspective. He said:

“We offer a bespoke advisory service to boards and those who sit on them and we have always prided ourselves on our grasp of clients’ commercial concerns, which has made us acutely aware and very interested to provide corporate governance, risk, compliance and some company secretarial services, too.

“Now, we have a new partner who has a strong commercial background and thereby broadens our capabilities in this regard.”

Software company appoints Harrogate comms firm

Marketing and communications agency, Big Bamboo, in Harrogate has been appointed by AI collision avoidance software company, Safety Shield Global, to support it with brand and PR activity.

The agency will support the company, whilst its sister agency, Big Bamboo Bids, will offer support in relation to bidding and winning work.

Safety Shield Global has developed an AI human form recognition safety system specifically for the construction industry .

The system can be fitted to any type of plant, for industries such as construction, rail, mining, demolition and waste, amongst others.

Nicola Stamford, founding director of The Big Bamboo Agency, said:

“We are thrilled to have been appointed by Safety Shield Global, which is a leading player in AI software.

“The company’s story is an impressive one, led by a very passionate CEO and wider team to ensure the safety of people who are working on sites, where plant machinery is prevalent.”

Johnsons of Whixley has secured a contract to supply five thousand plants to a five-star luxury spa hotel in County Durham.

The horticultural business supplied a range of shrubs and trees to Seaham Hall Hotel, for planting around its bungalow lodges, spa area and hotel terrace.

Johnsons of Whixley worked with garden designer Richard Porter of Garden Vision Ltd.

Founded over 100 years ago, Johnsons is a three-generation family business. Previous hotel projects include Grantley Hall in Ripon.

Seaham Hall Hotel was converted into a luxury hotel in 2012.

Johnsons’ marketing manager, Eleanor Richardson, said:

“We are thrilled to work with the Seaham Hall Hotel team as their ambitious development plans get underway, in collaboration with our customer Richard from Garden Vision Durham, who delivered the design, hard and soft landscaping of the project.”

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A team from Berwins solicitors in Harrogate spent yesterday cycling in the centre of town to raise money for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

8 staff members of the legal firm- ranging from a director to team assistant- peddled in a fundraiser entitled “Go The Distance”.

The 85km static cycle was taken in stages by two team members at a time – cycling a theoretical journey from the YAA’s Air Support Unit at Nostell near Wakefield to the Berwins’ offices in Leeds, Harrogate and York before ending at RAF Topcliffe.

The air ambulance is Berwins’ chosen charity for 2023.

The Berwins team peddling away for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance

The Stray Ferret is to host its monthly Business Club meeting this Thursday.  The breakfast meeting is one of the Club’s most well attended events.

The meeting will start at 8am at Banyan on John Street.

The Business Club Breakfast is an opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals, share ideas, and explore potential collaborations – and enjoy a coffee and bacon sandwich.

Get your tickets now by clicking or tapping here.

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Rooster’s Brewing Co. has pledged to donate 10p from every pint of its White Rose beer to a Harrogate charity.

The brewery based at Hornbeam Park aims to raise £850.00 to support Harrogate & District Community Action (HADCA) which supports communities, charities and volunteers throughout the Harrogate District of North Yorkshire.

Brewed to coincide with Yorkshire Day on August 1 st , Rooster’s, owned by Ian Fozard and his sons, Tom and Oliver, has brewed White Rose every year since 2011, choosing a different local cause each year.  The firm has donated over £10,000 for a variety of local charities over this period.

Tom Fozard, Rooster’s Commercial Director said:

“Rooster’s is pleased to be able to play a small part in helping a local charity such as Harrogate & District Community Action carry out the vital services they provide.

“The challenges that many people are facing on a day to day basis right now, especially the energy crisis that has fuelled a substantial rise in the cost of living has lead to a growing need for support in lots of different ways.

“It’s also comforting to know that, with White Rose only being available as a cask beer served in pubs, drinkers will also be able to support the hospitality industry with each pint supped too.”

Karen Weaver, HADCA Strategic Lead, said:

“We’re delighted that Rooster’s have chosen to support HADCA as the charity to benefit from the sale of the special limited release White Rose this year. Since 1988 HADCA has been connecting and supporting local charities, volunteers and people across Harrogate district communities.

“We champion community action using our Volunteering Directory and provide a fully searchable ‘Where To Turn’ directory of support and activities supporting good health and wellbeing”

Are you booked into our Stray Ferret Business Club’s breakfast event this Thursday at Banyan in Harrogate between 8-10am? 

The Business Club provides monthly opportunities to network, make new connections and hear local success stories. Get your tickets now by clicking or tapping here.

One of Harrogate’s oldest accountancy firms has expanded its apprenticeship programme.

A quarter of Lithgow Perkins’ twenty strong team now comprises of trainees at different stages of their accountancy career.

Partner Tom Rhodes, who began as an apprentice at Lithgow Perkins 11 years ago, said:

“Having a strong apprenticeship programme that gives young people the opportunity to develop their careers with us is vital not just for their future, but for ours too.”

Mr Rhodes added:

“As a small, independent firm, we can be flexible in creating opportunities for our trainees to work across a range of disciplines, supported by various specialists from our team.

“It’s not just a case of developing accountancy expertise; it’s also about building confidence in the ‘softer’ skills that are so important when dealing directly with clients.”

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The Stray Ferret Business Club’s next meeting is a breakfast event on Thursday, 27 July at Banyan in Harrogate between 8-10am. 

The Business Club provides monthly opportunities to network, make new connections and hear local success stories. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

A new promotion and networking event is being launched in Ripon to help companies connect and trade with each other.

Moot Ripon will follow a ‘business market’ format with exhibition stands of companies showcasing what they offer. The one-day event in October is open to all businesses in the area who are looking for local B2B opportunities.

Following advice from Ripon BID, the Federation for Small Businesses (FSB) and the North Yorkshire Growth Hub (LEP), the event is being organised by Ripon-based marketing and events firm Colour It In.

Managing director Mark Lancaster said:

“The Ripon area has a wealth of companies of all sizes operating across a huge variety of sectors.

“We wanted to bring them all together to get to know each other, re-establish connections, and do business together in a traditional face-to-face environment.”

Mr Lancaster is a former president of the Harrogate District Chamber of Trade and helped launch the Harrogate Business Market in 2005. He said he created Moot Ripon after struggling to find a similar local exhibition-style event to showcase his company to other businesses in the area.

Moot Ripon takes place at Ripon Racecourse on October 2.

Businesses of all sizes are invited to exhibit or attend the event but they must be based in the Ripon, Thirsk, Northallerton, Bedale, Masham, Pateley Bridge, Boroughbridge, Knaresborough and Harrogate areas.

Exhibitor spaces start from £250, and visitor entry is free.

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The owners and founders of Crown Jewellers In Harrogate have been nominated for an award by Professional Jeweller Magazine.

Crown Jewellers on Commercial Street is one of six companies in the country to be nominated for ‘Jewellery Team of the Year’.  Steve and Sue Kramer were nominated anonymously.  The winners are decided by retailers and suppliers who will cast their votes at the end of the month. Winners will then be announced in September.

Steve Kramer said:

“This is a fantastic accolade for Sue and I, one which we were surprised and delighted by. To be nominated independently for this award by our peers is testament to our hard work and dedication over the years.

“We genuinely love working together, even after all these years, and looking after our customers too – many of whom we have known now for a very long time! In fact, we have been invited to many of their weddings which is an honour!”

As well as running Crown Jewellers, Sue Kramer is president of the Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce and plays a lead role in promoting the Commercial Street family of shops.

A man has been charged in connection with a collision on Yew Tree Lane in Harrogate that left two teenagers seriously injured.

The 15-year-old Rossett School students who were walking to school at the time, were taken to hospital following the collision at 8.46am on February 2.

Benjamin Oakes, 46, of Tewit Well Avenue, Harrogate has been charged with two counts of causing serious injury by careless driving in a Vauxhall Astra.

He is due to appear at Harrogate Magistrates Court this morning.

Police said a second man who was interviewed under caution will face no further action.

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Staff well-being and culture have rapidly risen up the priority list for many employers.  At the next Stray Ferret Business Club  we’ll hear from award winning employer, LCF Law, on how organisations can ensure their teams are productive and happy. 

The lunch event is lunch at Manahatta, on June 29th at 12.30pm. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

A new business group for women in leadership roles is to be set up in Harrogate. The aim of the Female Advisory Board (aka F.A.B) is to help executives from non-competing organisations come together and problem solve collectively.

The group is the brain-child of Samantha Addy who says she has big ambitions for the women who have been ‘hand-picked’ to attend- not only to help female entrepreneurs but also to help them invest and support women and girls in the arena but find funding difficult or don’t know where to start. The first meeting is a Rudding Park next Wednesday.

Samantha’s said her mission is to empower female trailblazers:

“Why is that so important?  Because research has shown that women generate higher returns for society, are more likely to address social needs and according to Harvard Business Review – women score higher than men in key skills such as leadership, problem-solving and innovation.

“There are so many possibilities and I want to connect these brilliant leaders with other brilliant leaders using Napoleon Hill’s “Mastermind Principle”.

“I’m so excited to launch F.A.B. in Harrogate – there has been such a lovely response to my invitation, even those unable to attend – there is definitely a demand for a more niche community like this and the possibilities it’s going to bring.”

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Harrogate luxury linen store Woods has announced a return to stocking the Italian linen firm, Pratesi.

Established in 1895, Woods is one of the town’s oldest businesses. In recent years it has expanded into Woods Fine Linens and William Woods Interior Design.

William Woods CEO at Woods Fine Linens said:

Staff well-being and culture have rapidly risen up the priority list for many employers.  At the next Stray Ferret Business Club  we’ll hear from award winning employer, LCF Law, on how organisations can ensure their teams are productive and happy. 

The lunch event is lunch at Manahatta, on June 29th at 12.30pm. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

Yorkshire and the Humber attracted fifty one foreign investment projects last year, up from a total of 40 in 2021, according to consultancy firm Ernst & Young.

EY’s ‘attractiveness survey’ showed the region was the UK’s sixth-best performing. Its share of UK FDI projects increased to 5.5% from 4.0%, despite the UK seeing a 6% fall in project numbers.

The survey analyses the attractiveness of a particular region or country as an investment destination. It is designed to help businesses make investment decisions and governments remove barriers to growth.

The region’s strong performance was driven by growth in key sectors, including machinery and equipment, utility supply, and health and social work. sales and business services, manufacturing and logistics.

Stephen Church, EY’s North Market Leader, said:

“Amid a strong year for the North on FDI, Yorkshire and the Humber’s results stand out as exceptional. After a few years of falling project numbers, it’s very encouraging to see the region deliver a significant increase in projects and a strong performance on investment attractiveness relative to the rest of the UK. A positive performance on FDI-supported jobs in 2022 suggests Yorkshire has been able to do well not just on project volume, but on project value too.

“With sustainability and climate change high on investors’ agendas, clean technology is an increasingly important investment focus, providing the UK with the opportunity to play to its regional strengths. Expertise in manufacturing and utilities – key sectors here in Yorkshire – will be crucial to any efforts by the UK to establish itself as a place where clean technology is not just deployed, but also developed and built too.”

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Vida Court, the third care home of Harrogate-based specialist dementia care provider Vida Healthcare, has been rated as Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

All of Vida’s three specialist care homes have now been awarded an Outstanding rating.

The inspection highlighted the exceptional dementia care that is provided. Staff’s exceptional creativity when following best practice guidance was applauded. Person-centred care is prevalent throughout the service, and this includes how people wish to be cared for at the end of their lives and approaching difficult conversations.

Sharon Oldfield, Vida Court Home Manager at Vida Healthcare, said:

“We are extremely proud of the Vida Court team. It is a privilege to work with people who are so focused on enriching residents’ lives and providing the highest quality of care. We are delighted that our inclusive and open working environment, alongside the hard work and creativity of our team has been recognised by the CQC.

“We are committed to developing, promoting and implementing innovative methods of care to deliver an outstanding service to our residents”.

James Rycroft, Managing Director at Vida Healthcare, commented:

“The commitment of the team at Vida Court, highlighted in the inspection report, is what makes our service outstanding. Securing an Outstanding rating for all of our care homes is an incredible achievement, and really sets us apart from other care home operators in the UK. Our staff are our greatest asset and I would like to thank them all for their dedication. “

Vida Court has recently opened a specialist unit to support people living with Huntington’s disease.

Staff at Vida Court celebrate the homes CQC Outstanding status

Selby and Ainsty Conservative MP,  Nigel Adams, a key ally of Boris Johnson, has announced his resignation with immediate affect.

Mr Adams resignation will trigger a third by-election in a Conservative held seat in the past 24 hours- following the shock resignation yesterday of former Prime Minster, Boris Johnson, and former culture secretary, Nadine Dorries as MPs. Mr Adams was minister without portfolio in Boris Johnson’s cabinet.

On Friday Mr Adams was not nominated for an honour on Mr Johnson’s peerage list.

Mr Adams said he wanted to “thank my constituents for their wonderful support since 2010”.

Last year Mr Adams had said he would not be standing again as an MP at the next general  election- today’s announcement means his departure forces an earlier by-election.

Mr Adams was first elected in 2010 and has defended the seat in three subsequent elections. He currently holds the seat with a majority of 20,137.

Posting on Twitter, Mr Adams announced he was leaving politics immediately.

Yesterday, Selby Conservatives selected an excellent new parliamentary candidate.

I’ve today informed the chief whip that I will be standing down as a Member of Parliament with immediate effect.

It has been an honour to represent the area where I was raised, educated &

1/2

— Nigel Adams (@nadams) June 10, 2023

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A group of traveller families has set up camp on Ashville College’s sports field off Yew Tree Lane in Harrogate.

The independent fee-paying school said is was alerted at 9.00pm last night to their arrival and that police have attended the scene.

In a statement the school said it was working closely with the police to remove the travellers and their vehicles as soon as possible.

This not the first time travellers have pitched up on Ashville’s sports fields. In August 2021 travellers parked on the school’s land and demanded money to leave. They left only to return weeks later. The school then started legal proceedings against them before they eventually departed.

Today Ashville College said:

“Naturally, our priority is to ensure the safety of our pupils and to minimise disruption to normal School life. We have taken a number of precautionary measures today including postponing home sports fixtures and ensuring close supervision of our boarders as they move around the campus.

“All parents were contacted on Friday evening and we will continue to update them as we monitor the situation.

“We are grateful to our families for their understanding, and praise our staff for making every reasonable effort to prevent the break-in. The continued vigilance of our staff and supervision of pupils on-site is of paramount importance”.

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