A Harrogate bid specialist has appointed a new managing director.
Big Bamboo BIDS has hired Ken Erksine, who has 36 years in the industry, to the post.
The company was incorporated in May 2022 and since then has won and retained work with clients in the construction, engineering, soft and hard FM and infrastructure sectors.
Mr Erksine, whose most recent role was head of bids and proposals at Careys, will be tasked with growing Big Bamboo’s business.
He said:
“Having spent 36 years working in bid and proposals in many of the UK’s leading contracting businesses, I am excited to be taking a leap into the world of consultancy.
“Having found myself in a situation where I was looking for a new opportunity, I was approached by numerous companies. Nicola, the founding director and I were introduced via a mutual connection, and it became clear very quickly that we both saw an opportunity for a consultancy that could offer something different and disrupt the marketplace.”
Homes Together sponsors Harrogate Town junior supporters club
A Harrogate housing provider is set to sponsor Harrogate Town’s junior supporters club.
Homes Together, which is based on Victoria Avenue and provides accommodation for disabled people across the district, has agreed the sponsorship deal with the club.
Harrogate Town junior supporters club with Homes Together officials.
The supporters group was founded with an aim to engage more younger fans with the football club.
Joanne Towler, commercial director at Harrogate Town, said:
“We recently launched our very first junior supporters club, and the take up has been astounding, engaging with our younger fans in a fun and interactive way to enhance their experience with the club is key as we grow our next generation of Harrogate Town fans.
“Homes Together are the ideal partner as we both continue our journey to serve the Harrogate Communities, and we are grateful for their valued support on our mission.”
David Ashton-Jones, managing director at Homes Together, added:
“This is a fantastic opportunity for Homes Together to support a local club that is so important to the people of Harrogate.
“Supporting the communities that our homes reside in is a top priority for us, and we’re fully on board with Harrogate Towns goal to grow the next generation of fans.”
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Business Breakfast: Harrogate care company appoints new chief executive
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A Harrogate district care company has appointed a new chief executive.
Homes Together, which is based on Victoria Avenue, provides accommodation for disabled people across Harrogate, Ripon and Knaresborough.
The company has appointed David Ashton-Jones as its new chief executive, as well as restructuring its senior management team.
Mr Ashton-Jones said:
“I am incredibly proud to take on the role of chief executive at Homes Together.
“This is an organisation that means a lot to me and I look forward to helping drive exceptional residential care for disabled young adults across our 13 different services in both Harrogate District and Gateshead.”
Meanwhile, the firm has also unveiled plans to invest in its training, infrastructure and technology in an effort to improve its services.
Harrogate company reaches sustainability targets
A Harrogate company has celebrated achieving three of its sustainability targets.
Techbuyer, which is based on Hornbeam Park, set nine targets including responsible consumption and production, quality education and good health and wellbeing.
The targets were set in line with the United Nations 17 sustainable development goals, which were drawn up in 2015.
Steve Sexton, group managing director of Techbuyer.
Techbuyer has now reached three of the goals ahead of its 2025 deadline.
Of those it has achieved include logging 15,000 hours of staff physical activity, £3 million in savings for educational institutions and promoting sustainable technology to 5,000 organisations.
Steve Sexton, group managing director at Techbuyer, said:
“As a global organisation we are proud to be able to align our own ESG efforts with a number of the UN Sustainability Development Goals focused specifically on where we feel we can take meaningful action and make a real difference.”
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New provider to take on Henshaws residential services
A new Harrogate-based provider will take over Henshaws residential services as the charity struggles with its finances.
Homes Together, which has run care homes for the last 16 years, will now run the service which includes seven homes in Harrogate and one in Knaresborough.
The Henshaws Residential Care service provides 24/7 for disabled adults.
It is different to the part time care of Henshaws supported living services, which North Yorkshire County Council is preparing to run.
North Yorkshire County Council is said to be supportive of the Residential Care transfer.
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The chief executive at Henshaws, Nick Marr, said today that the charity was “very distressed” to cease operation of the homes service:
“But we can no longer sustain the costs of our residential services. We will do everything we can to ensure continuity for our residents. It is critical to Henshaws that the service remains intact and continues with a recognised provider.
“Therefore, we are very pleased that a decision has been made to transfer the services to Homes Together.”
Steve Jones, who runs Homes Together, was previously the principal at Henshaws College. Many of his former students now live in the residential service.
Henshaws has invited its service users, parents and carers to take part in face-to-face or virtual meetings to raise any questions they might have.
All staff who currently work in the homes service have the opportunity to transfer on their existing terms to Homes Together.
Mr Marr added that despite “months of effort” Henshaws was unable to make the homes service sustainable.
The charity’s latest financial accounts detailed how in the year up to August 2018 it spent £12.3 million – which is £1 million more than its income.
No further accounts have been published by the organisation. The Stray Ferret has approached North Yorkshire County Council for a comment.