Excellence deserves to be recognised and celebrated. The 2024 Stray Ferret Business Awards is the event to put your business, people or great initiative in the spotlight!
Make the most of your efforts by reading our top 10 tips for writing your submission for success.
Entries close on January 19, 2024.
A Harrogate company that specialises in carbon accounting has announced two new appointments.
Flotilla, which is based on Station Parade, has hired Charlotte Hallowell as a carbon accountant and Jason Talman as full stack developer.
The company said it made the appointments as part of continued growth in its services.
John Rastrick, Flotilla chief executive, said:
“Bringing Charlotte and Jason on board is critical to the delivery of our high-quality net zero solutions services. Charlotte’s analytical and business understanding skills will help clients realise the wider benefits of starting and delivering a net-zero journey.
“Jason is a determined problem solver and I am confident his arrival will allow us to further develop our technology for the benefit of our clients and for our planet.”
Henshaws to hold leadership course
Henshaws is set to host a leadership programme in February 2024.
The charity will hold the event at the Cedar Court Hotel in Harrogate from 8am on February 2.
There will be a breakfast and networking lunch included. The course will include a presentation from business coach, Rob Northfield.
The course is aimed at anyone who wants to grow in their career or personal life.
Tickets are £99 and all proceeds go to Henshaws.
Flora Simpson, senior fundraiser at Henshaws, said:
“We were so over the moon with the success of Rob’s first event and are so happy to be able to bring this learning back.
“We had such a great turn out from a host of local business owners and their teams but also individuals who are aiming for self-development.”
Read more:
- Business Breakfast: Harrogate Town announce hydration tie-up
- Business Breakfast: Century-old nurseries rebrand for growth
- Business Breakfast: Harrogate marketing agency announces two new hires
Business Breakfast: Electrical retailer rescues Bake-Off makers
The Stray Ferret Business Club’s next meeting is a breakfast event on Thursday, October 26 at Banyan in Harrogate from 8 am to 10 am.
The Business Club provides monthly opportunities to network, make new connections and hear local success stories. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.
The makers of TV’s The Great British Bake-Off were desperately searching for some retro fridges recently and had their wishes fulfilled by an electrical retailer in Boroughbridge.
Love Productions was combing the UK for a specific model of fridge-freezer but was drawing a blank because it had been discontinued by Italian manufacturer Zanussi.
Fortunately, G Craggs, which also has a shop in Ripon, had recognised how popular they were and had bought the last ones in January. The production company sought them out and a deal was done.
Enjoying the moment, the company posted on its Facebook page:
“To celebrate this wonderful partnership there are complimentary cakes in store for all customers while stocks last. You might even be served by team member Paul Bakes!”, adding: “Yes… that really is his name!”
New business director for net zero firm
A Harrogate firm that specialises in carbon accounting and net zero delivery has announced a senior appointment as part of its growth strategy.
Rob Conway joins Flotilla to lead sales and business development operations after 15 years’ work with B2B scale-ups.
Flotilla, which is based on Station Parade, works with client companies to reduce their CO2 output, and its science-based carbon reduction service has been recommended by the United Nations Climate Change initiative.
Rob said:
“After a number of years in the tech space, it was seeing the world through my daughter’s eyes and seeing her interest in the environment, combined with ever-increasing extreme weather events globally, that made me rethink my career path. When I saw the role at Flotilla, I knew that this was the right place and the right time to make a meaningful impact through my role.
“By increasing the number of clients we work with, the larger environmental impact we can have.”
Read more:
- Business Breakfast: Construction firm hires two new directors
- Business Breakfast: Knaresborough company acquires local financial firm
- Business Breakfast: Harrogate marketing agency hires new head of social media
Business Breakfast: Harrogate woman launches padel sports clothing range
It’s time to join the Stray Ferret Business Club. Our next networking event is lunch at Manahatta, on June 29th at 12.30pm.
Don’t miss out on this chance to network with businesses from across the Harrogate district. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.
Harrogate’s growing reputation as the “padel capital of the North” has been boosted with the launch of a new clothing and apparel company devoted to the sport.
Padel Boyz, which sells T-shirts, hoodies, shorts, skirts, socks and sweatbands for men and women, is the brainchild of former PE teacher Sonja Bancroft.
Ms Bancroft, a former Rossett School pupil who later taught at Boroughbridge High School and Boston Spa Academy, said:
“I’m thrilled to be bringing Padel Boyz to the market, and I feel like there has never been a better time to be promoting padel tennis in the UK.
“We’ve worked tirelessly to develop a range of sportswear that reflects the passion and energy of this dynamic game, and we’re confident that our customers will be delighted by the quality and fit of our range.”
We started Padel Boyz to get away from traditional tennis wear – we wanted a cooler, younger look. We’ve started simple, but we plan to add more colours and more lines, such as jumpers, later in the year.”
Padel is a sport similar to tennis but played with a solid, stringless racquet, in an enclosed court like squash. It was invented in Mexico in the 1960s, and is now one of the fastest-growing sports in the world.
It is gaining increasing numbers of fans in our area as more opportunities to play are created. Harrogate Sports and Fitness Centre, on Hookstone Wood Road, launched its first outdoor padel court in 2019, and then Surge followed in 2022 with six Adidas-branded indoor padel courts at its centre on Hornbeam Park.
Last summer, Ripon Tennis Centre opened two new outdoor padel courts, and just last month, Harrogate Spa Tennis Club opened two new outdoor courts at its home off Claro Road and has seen players book sessions from across Yorkshire.
Sonja said:
“Padel is growing in popularity in this country so fast, now seems like the perfect time to launch a brand like this.
“My aim is to create a successful, growing business, but we’ve only just launched and we’re still small, so we’ll see how it goes.”
Harrogate company achieves industry recognition
A Harrogate company has been awarded an industry recognised certificate for environmental performance.
Net zero consultancy Flotilla, based on Station Parade, achieved B Corp status, which is certified by not-for-profit organisation B Lab.
It recognises companies which meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.
(Left to right) Flotilla team Mark Woodward, Grant Walker, Caroline Linford, Dan Cox, Sara Snow, Sally Wood, Helen Fox, Anthony Bagshaw, Jess Morris, Francesca Woodward, John Rastrick and Joe Hobbs.
In order to achieve the status, Flotilla went through a rigorous assessment process which examined the impact of company decisions on employees, customers, suppliers, the communities the business serves and the environment.
John Rastrick, chief executive of Flotilla, said:
“Receiving B Corp certification is an outstanding achievement for everyone here at Flotilla.
“Not only does it honour our commitment to a better future, but it provides a framework for continuous future improvement.”
Read more:
- Business Breakfast: Harrogate beauty brand appoints chief executive
- Co-op submits plans for new store in Boroughbridge