The Dynamic Leader Award is sponsored by Succession Wealth.

Succession Wealth offers premium financial advice  clients across the UK.

The firm aims to provide clients with peace, clarity and financial well-being.

This award is designed for those in the Harrogate district who are driving progress and change within their organisation, even during hardships.

Finalists

Ian Baker, The Soundproofing Store:

Ian Baker is the Founder and Managing Director of The Soundproofing Store.

Ian Baker has led The Soundproofing Store to become the largest online retailer of soundproofing equipment and solutions in the UK.

Ian’s employees say, “his style of leadership is instrumental in the success of the business and solutions offered to customers”.

Ian Baker said:

“I am deeply grateful to be recognised among such a talented group of individuals, especially as my team nominated me without me knowing. I feel very humbled to have made the shortlist.

“I would like to express my gratitude to my team for their hard work, dedication, and support, without whom this recognition would not be possible. Their contributions and efforts have been instrumental in making our company what it is today”.

Sarah Jones, Full Circle Funerals:

Sarah Jones is the founder of Full Circle Funerals.

The company aims to raise the standards and expectations of funeral care across Yorkshire and beyond.

Since launching Full Circle, Sarah has collaborated with university academics to research the long-term effects funerals can have on people’s well-being, using the results to improve her own company.

Sarah has led Full Circle to become the first funeral director in the UK to be listed as a B Corp organisation.

Sarah Jones said:

“It is incredibly humbling to be recognised in the context of leadership and I hope that my actions and those of others around me will inspire and create positive change, particularly in relation to sustainability and wellbeing”.

Danny Wild, Harrogate College:

Danny Wild is the principal of Harrogate College.

Danny places sustainability at the top of Harrogate College’s agenda, hoping to become a centre of green excellence and a net zero facility by 2035.

Danny has led the College be the first in North Yorkshire to achieve a ‘College of Sanctuary’ status. The accolade recognises colleges that support refugees and people seeking asylum.

Harrogate College recently celebrated an Ofsted rating of ‘Good’ with ‘Outstanding Features’. The provision for adults and personal development of students were both graded ‘Outstanding’.

Danny Wild said:

“I feel very proud to be nominated for this award. This nomination gives me an opportunity to reflect on the work of my colleagues at Harrogate College, who work hard every day with people to change their lives through education.

“My view of being a dynamic leader is being attuned to the needs of the people you work with by listening and responding in a way that allows people to succeed”.

Suzanna Prout, Xenonex:

 Suzanna Prout is the Founder and Managing Director of Xenonex.

Xenonex offers leadership coaching and development programmes.

During covid, Suzanna shifted Xenonex to be entirely online. This included online training and bespoke portals where users could access resources and track progress.

Suzanna also led the business to win the CorporateLiveWire Innovation & Excellence Award for ‘Management Training Specialist of the Year – UK’.

Suzanna’s colleagues say, “her door is always open to provide support”.

Suzanna Prout said:

“I am delighted to be a finalist in the dynamic leader award. Being recognised is a wonderful way to reflect on all it takes to build a business from the ground up, to build a fabulous team and to work with some amazing clients.

“This could not be possible without the ongoing commitment and contributions from the fabulous team at Xenonex who inspire me every day. Dynamic leadership is about constant change, boundless energy and a positive outlook even when times are tough. For me, it’s all about being one step ahead and for delivering a level of service to our clients that exceeds expectations”.

Andrew Meehan, Harrogate Family Law:

Andrew Meehan is the Founder and Managing Director of Harrogate Family Law.

Andrew has led the firm to be consistently ranked in Legal 500 and Chambers guides.

Andrew dedicates a significant amount of time to all his employees as a mentor, intending to create premium standard lawyers and great career progression.

Andrew is empathetic to the emotional pressure family law can bring, and provides external coaching and counselling services to his staff when needed.

Andrew’s employees describe him as “charismatic and loved by all”.

Andrew Meehan said:

“I feel flattered to be shortlisted for the Stray Ferret Award for Dynamic Leader. I was surprised to be nominated by my team, but am delighted to have been shortlisted, especially given the quality of the other shortlisted nominees.

“I wish them all the very best of luck on the night.”

Alastair Taylor, NYnet:

Alastair Taylor is the CEO of NYnet, a broadband connectivity company in Harrogate.

Since taking on the role of CEO in 2022, Alastair has rebranded the company and launched a new website in preparation for expansion into the private sector.

Alastair oversaw the rollout of free town centre WIFI to 20 towns in North Yorkshire, including Harrogate.

Alastair’s employees say, “Alastair recognises the importance of inspiring his team and motivating them to achieve the goals he has for NYnet”.

Alastair Taylor said:

“It means a great deal that this is a local award, in the region where my colleagues and I are engaged in improving connectivity and the digital economy. I feel fortunate to work with a fantastic senior management team in a field that is dynamic by nature, where technology is always generating change and new opportunities.

“One of the bonuses of this is being able to share the knowledge we gain here in Yorkshire with technology leaders much further afield.”

The Stray Ferret Business Award event sponsor is Prosperis. To find more and to purchase tickets for the big night, click here.

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Harrogate College has backed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s bid to ensure all students study maths until the age of 18.

A government press release has said Mr Sunak will this afternoon “commit to starting the work of introducing maths to 18 in this Parliament and finishing it in the next”.

In his first speech of 2023, he is expected to say studying maths to 18 will equip young people with skills needed for jobs and increase their financial confidence later in life when dealing with issues such as mortgages and savings rates.

Mr Sunak will say:

“One of the biggest changes in mindset we need in education today is to reimagine our approach to numeracy.

“Right now, just half of all 16–19-year-olds study any maths at all. Yet in a world where data is everywhere and statistics underpin every job, our children’s jobs will require more analytical skills than ever before.”

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Harrogate College principal Danny Wild said Mr Sunak’s goal was admirable -— but needed to be supported by significant funding. Mr Wild said:

“Numeracy is increasingly important for all of us, and especially for young people entering a competitive and ever-evolving job market.

“So we do support the Prime Minister’s aim of ensuring that as many students as possible continue studying maths until the age of 18.

“Colleges and other further education providers will play a crucial role in delivering this goal – but it will only be achievable if we are given proper funding to recruit and retain the maths teachers we need.”

The college, a further education provider on Hornbeam Park, provides a wide range of courses including apprenticeships, T-levels and higher education for students in the Harrogate district.

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal.

Recruitment company delivers employment workshops to new communities in Harrogate

Recruitment company, Corecom Consulting, has delivered three employment workshops to refugees in Harrogate.

Managing Director, Jonathan Sanderson, and Delivery Consultant Elise Simpson, approached Migration Yorkshire with a proposal to provide employment support on their Connecting Opportunities scheme.

Elise Simpson said:

“I had volunteered with refugees at university and knew that Corecom’s ethos centres around wellbeing and empowering individuals

Our MD, Jonathan, has already carried out a multitude of activities to promote equality and diversity within the workplace and our local communities so, with his support, I made contact with Migration Yorkshire.”

An initial workshop focused on CV writing, followed up by a second on interview preparation with the final workshop guiding on the use of LinkedIn as a marketing tool.

Following a successful pilot, there are now plans to roll the workshops out to other Connecting Opportunities participants.

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Recognition for Harrogate College’s sustainability work

Harrogate College’s commitment to sustainability has been recognised by a major environmental awards scheme.

The Green Gown Awards celebrates examples of exceptional green projects that are being carried out by education institutions across the country.

Harrogate College reached the finals this year after being shortlisted for the Tomorrow’s Employees category.

The judges said they were impressed by the college’s partnership work to provide retrofit training, delivery of green skills based on local feedback, and efforts to embed sustainability into its courses.

Principal Danny Wild said:

“As a college that is determined to play its part in tackling the climate emergency, we are pleased to see our ever-evolving sustainability work being recognised in this way.

“The Green Gown Awards celebrate best practice in environmental initiatives across the country, so we are in good company.

“This recognition will inspire us to work even harder to become a centre of green excellence and, as outlined in our Sustainability Pledge, become a net zero college by 2035.”

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

A business group in Kirkby Malzeard will host a free pop-up advice session with some of North Yorkshire’s top business advisers on Monday.

David Kerfoot and David Poole feature in the line-up of consultants at the event, organised by Kirkby Malzeard, Laverton and Dallowgill Business/Community Group.

The advisers will be giving free advice on funding, networking, training and bespoke business strategy planning.

Mr Kerfoot, who comes from Northallerton and is a deputy lieutenant for North Yorkshire, is a successful businessman who founded a company in 1980 and built it into a £75m business, supplying oils to the food, cosmetics and aromatherapy industries.

Mr Poole, from Bishopdale, is a retired businessman who was formerly managing director and deputy chairman of Thalis plc, and is now a driving force in the Lower Wensleydale Business Network.

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The KMLD Business/Community Group, which is part of the local parish council, aims to support rural businesses during challenging economic times and also a special interest in arts and crafts businesses due to the large number of artisans living and working in the area.

The pop-up session will be held from 10am to 11am on Monday, November 7 at St Andrew’s Church, Kirkby Malzeard.

Businesses take part in Harrogate College recruitment fair

Businesses from across the Harrogate district took part in a recruitment fair at Harrogate College this week.

Representatives from 10 businesses visited the college on Wednesday to meet with and interview local students.

Businesses from across the district met with and interviewed Harrogate College students.

Firms including Springfield Healthcare, West Park Care, Cairn Group, Disability Action Yorkshire, Vida Healthcare and Harrogate Healthcare Facilities Management Ltd (Harrogate Hospital) attended the event.

ATM Ltd, Arc Inspirations, Anchor Care Homes and Morrisons also took part.

Danny Wild, Harrogate College principal, said:

“We were delighted to have so many of our key local employers coming along to support this event, which attracted a lot of interest from our students.

“To have a couple of job offers being made on the day was fantastic, and I know that most of the participating businesses also took away contact details for a number of other students that they may well be back in touch with.

“This recruitment fair emerged following Harrogate College Employers’ Network feedback, and is part of our continuing push to ensure our training helps local businesses thrive.

“It was very encouraging to see the first one go so well and we look forward to holding more fairs, supported by our local business partners, as a regular part of the college’s calendar going forward.”

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

Harrogate College is holding an event that gives businesses the chance to talk to customer service-trained students about part-time work that fits around their studies.

The college’s employer network recruitment fair enables Harrogate district firms the opportunity to come into college and speak to students directly.

Each business can approach the recruitment fair in its own way: it can conduct an interview and offer work that day, or share information about the business before inviting students for a formal interview at the place of work.

The free event takes place at the college, on Hornbeam Park, on November 2 from 11am to 1.30pm. Tickets can be booked here.

Construction firm wins award for junction 47 upgrade 

Junction 47

Building contractor, Farrans Construction, won the Best Highways and Transportation Project award at a recent CIHT Yorkshire and Humber event for its delivery of the junction 47 A1(M) upgrade for client North Yorkshire County Council.

The project, near Flaxby, involved widening of three of the four slip roads onto and off the roundabout to increase capacity as well as a number of junction improvements.

Cllr Keane Duncan, North Yorkshire County Council’s executive member for highways and transport, said:

“It is one of the busiest junctions in North Yorkshire and since the scheme was completed earlier this year we have seen a significant difference in reducing congestion and improving road safety.

“It represents a successful collaboration between the county council, Farrans, AECOM and National Highways in overcoming difficult situations without major delays to the travelling public during construction on this key route which unlocks future growth in and around Harrogate.”

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Local businesses attended an event yesterday to find out how Harrogate College can help them fulfil their training and recruitment needs.

The college set up an employers’ network to allow employers from the Harrogate district to influence the college’s courses and training.

Yesterday’s annual event gave representatives from the businesses the opportunity to find out more about what has been achieved in the last year and say what more could be done.

Employers also got a first-look at the proposed pathway to employment programme, which would support the cost and challenges of recruitment and retainment.

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Raworths has been recognised as one of the leading law firms in the north of England.

The Harrogate law firm has been included in the new Chambers UK legal guide 2023, including Band 1 rankings for its Employment and Family teams.

Chambers UK is one of the leading legal professional guides; its rankings drawing on independent research carried out with clients and professional contacts.

Simon Morris, managing partner at Raworths said:

“This is a fantastic boost for the whole team who work so hard to ensure that we provide the best service for our clients across all practice areas.

“To have our teams recognised is a testament to the range and quality of our services and our genuinely integrated commercial and private client expertise, enabling our teams to work together on complex issues across our clients’ personal and business affairs.

“It’s fantastic that these rankings draw directly on client feedback – as cultivating trusted, longstanding relationships with our clients is at the very heart of our business.”

Landlords in the Harrogate district are to be offered advice on retrofitting buildings to make them more environmentally sustainable.

Harrogate College is holding an information evening in partnership with Harrogate District Climate Change Coalition, entitled Retrofit for Landlords.

It will take place from 6-7.30pm on Wednesday, November 2.

The event will aim to explain how ‘eco-refurbishment’ of buildings can improve efficiency, cut energy bills and reduce carbon emissions.

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Harrogate College principal, Danny Wild, said:

“We look forward to welcoming many landlords to this event, where they can hear about the benefits of retrofitting.

“Working closely with local employers, to ensure our courses and training delivers the maximum possible benefit to them, is one of our key aims.

“We are also striving to become a net zero carbon college by 2030, as set out in our sustainability pledge, and supporting green skills like retrofitting aligns perfectly with our sustainability goals.

“So we are delighted to be teaming up with the Harrogate District Climate Change Coalition to stage this event, which sets out how practical steps can be taken to help both our economy and the environment.”

Speakers include Sarah Stark, from Harrogate Borough Council, who will give details about a new council grant for landlords and who will answer questions about EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) regulations.

Representatives from York and North Yorkshire LEP will give presentations on the net-zero business toolkit and energy and retrofit options, respectively.

John Kerr from Zero Carbon Harrogate, will be discussing the work it is doing – including through teaming up with Harrogate College – to provide free retrofit training, and how landlords can access it.

Places at the event can be booked here:  www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/harrogate-college-retrofit-event-tickets-425667923217.

Harrogate College has been awarded £16m of government funding to replace its main building on Hornbeam Park.

The college, which serves the Harrogate district, is one of five education institutions in Yorkshire to receive funding from the Department for Education’s Further Education Capital Transformation Fund.

The £1.5 billion fund was set up last year to upgrade further education colleges over the next five years.

It means the Harrogate district will get a new a purpose-built space for technical and vocational education.

The new energy-efficient building will include a workshop providing facilities aligned to industry needs. It will complement the college’s existing tech centre, which is home to its motor vehicle, electrical, joinery and welding workshops.

An existing £4m budget will be used to pay for the demolition of the old college building.

A statement by the college today said the move will support priority growth sectors for Harrogate and North Yorkshire such as advanced manufacturing, low carbon construction, retrofit, sustainable energy and bioeconomy, health science and hospitality.

Danny Wild

Danny Wild, principal at Harrogate College, welcomed the funding and said it will go a long way in improving the college’s facilities.

“Being able to work towards having a net zero carbon building, alongside a learning environment that will help our students progress on to university or the workplace is central to our strategic priorities, and this funding will be central in supporting us to achieve this.

“The development will also help us deliver a wide range of T Level qualifications, which will not only close the skills gaps, but will reinforce the government’s nationwide plan to strengthen technical education and give it the credibility it deserves.

“This upgrade will strengthen the work we are doing with businesses in the district to deliver an employer-led curriculum, alongside supporting the council’s aims to prioritise and support ‘good growth’ in the district, and achieve a sustainable economy.”

As part of the project, there are also plans to install green electric based heating systems, as well as a soft landscaped social hub, which will improve biodiversity on site.

The government says the investment will ensure that colleges are “great places to learn and students have access to modern, fit-for-purpose facilities”.

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

Harrogate College in line for sustainable education award

Harrogate College has been shortlisted for a Green Gown Award, recognising the best efforts to build sustainability through education.

The college is nominated in the Tomorrow’s Employees category for “feedback driven curriculums brought to life through collaboration: embedding sustainability and excelling in retrofit provision”.

It faces competition from six other institutions, including the University of Aberdeen, Nottingham Trent University and York St John.

The category called for entries which demonstrated students were leaving education “future-fit” with an understanding of a sustainable industry and economy.

Harrogate College’s cultural, contemporary and heritage studies programme manager, Jason Parry, said:

“Taking college-wide steps to reduce our carbon footprint while supplying the green skills that our local economy needs is a key part of what we do.

“An important aspect of that over the past year has been our work, with Zero Carbon Harrogate, to promote eco-renovation through hosting special courses and information events.

“We are proud to be shortlisted, for a second year running, for a Green Gown award. It is a sign that the college’s work to become a centre of green excellence, by working with and supporting our many local partners, is being recognised.”

The awards are organised by the EAUC, an alliance for sustainability leadership in education, and sponsored by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Professor Sir Duncan Wingham, executive chair of the Natural Environment Research Council, said:

“Congratulate all the finalists. Their work is helping us to meet the challenge of ensuring environmental sustainability is an inherent part of research and innovation excellence.”

The awards will be presented in a ceremony at Loughborough University on November 8.

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Cycling fundraiser in memory of Knaresborough company’s employee

An employee of pest control specialist Pelsis Group is cycling 550 miles from the Netherlands to the company’s Knaresborough headquarters to fundraise in memory of a former colleague.

Sales manager Chris Rodgers is undertaking the challenge to help raise funds for Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), which former Pelsis employee Derek Hurst died from in 2019 aged 49.

Named the “Tour de Derek”, the 13-day challenge will see Chris cycle from Pelsis’s office in Barneveld, the Netherlands, via its office in Bornem, Belgium, all the way to the company’s headquarters in Knaresborough.

All funds raised from the challenge will be split equally between the Cure CJD Campaign and St Teresa’s Hospice in Darlington, where Derek was cared for following his diagnosis.

Chris Rodgers from Pelsis with his bike

Chris said:

“Not only was Derek my colleague, but he was also my mentor and my friend. To be able to undertake this sporting challenge in memory of him is truly an honour.”

“Since Derek’s passing, it’s always been my intention to raise vital funds for the Cure CJD Campaign to help develop a treatment for cure for CDJ and increase awareness and understanding of the disease.”

For more information on how to donate to Chris’s Tour de Derek cycling challenge, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/raising-funds-in-memory-of-derek-hurst.

Artists, sculptors and ceramicists at Harrogate College are preparing to stage their first North Yorkshire Open Studios event.

The artists, who are studying for master’s degrees in creative practice, will showcase their work on June 4. Visitors will be able to view and buy items.

North Yorkshire Open Studios gives artists the chance to open their studios, network, and show and sell their work directly to the public over the first two weekends in June.

The artist-led event is run by a voluntary steering group of North Yorkshire based artists.

Dr Annabel Smith, programme manager, MA creative practice at Harrogate College said the event would give many college students the opportunity to showcase their work, adding:

“The NYOS event has grown to become one of the major events in North Yorkshire’s cultural calendar, as well as one of the north’s most prestigious open studios events.

“The college is honoured to be included this year and is highlighting and showcasing work produced by our year 1 and year 2 MA creative practice students.”

The exhibited work will include ceramics, paintings, printmaking and textiles and will be on view to the public in the college’s canteen.

The show takes place at the college, at Hornbeam Park, from 9am to 5pm.

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