Business News

Reflecting on International Women’s Day, two female entrepreneurs currently working with Higher Level Skills Match (HLSM) at Birmingham City University (part-funded by the European Social Fund) over the last two months have been highlighted. And they are going from strength-to-strength in the face of the challenges faced when growing a business and the support available through HLSM to help provide support.

Vanessa Kelly runs 2 Much Passion CIC, a non-profit organisation that teaches, trains and provides creative cooking classes that boost individual and family well-being by supporting them out of poverty. 

“We’re a non-profit organisation built on the sole purpose that food can bring people together” she says. “Our project’s Let’s Get Culture Cooking and Young Foodeez provides an online platform for growth and develop of cooking courses and events. We work from cooks to chefs and allow them to reach their full potential.” 

Muneerah Dubidat, who runs Transform Coaching & Events, whose enterprise supports hundreds of women online by offering coaching, mentoring, group workshop facilitation and events. The aim is to take women from a place of low confidence and low self-esteem to confident decision-makers and action takers. 

Reflecting on the last 12 months, Muneerah says “Transform Coaching & Events has supported hundreds of women online, building a beautiful community of empowered women seeking positive change in their lives.

“By focusing on ‘Self-Love’ and ‘Self-confidence’ the women gain the self-belief needed to take action, so they can achieve the life they want, whilst confidently owning their power and uniqueness. The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is #ChooseToChallenge and that is exactly what we do as an organisation.

We challenge women’s thinking and help them to remove their perceived limitations so that they can create the change that they want to see.” 

Fast business growth hasn’t come without its challenges. Finding the time and knowledge to develop her brand online, and transition her mindset from an employee to a business owner were just two of the many challenges Muneerah faced. That was as well as the ongoing financial pressures. 

“Firstly, starting my business with very little capital during a pandemic presented challenges around balancing the needs of my family and the financial pressures to generate income to build a successful business. 

“I would have loved to employ a Digital Marketing expert to help me stand out and reach my niche, but that wasn’t an option for me at the time. But what it did give me was the opportunity to access a range of free training on-line, which opened more doors and opportunities to learn.” 

As well as access to knowledge and resource, Muneerah found she needed a mental shift in her approach to work. “Another business challenge was the transition in my mindset from an employee to a business owner. From the basics of registering my business and meeting Statutory Obligations, to decision making on a level that I had not yet experienced in my previous day to day roles. 

“Also, maintaining personal motivation and not being so hard on myself remain a daily challenge, especially being a high achiever. But I continue to draw upon my ever-growing network to help me make my mission a reality.” 

With this in mind, Vanessa also spoke about the challenges as a female entrepreneur and balancing overseeing all aspects of running a business through the different stages. Vanessa reflected on the importance of learning quickly the difference in work ethic and passion within the industry and the importance of the different skills individuals can bring.  

“My biggest challenge as a female entrepreneur is having to wear many different hats throughout all the different stages of my business” Vanessa stressed.  However, the importance of embracing new opportunities as business owners isn’t to be forgotten.  

“There is never one-hat-fits-all, it’s really important to be adaptable and allow yourself to be open to new opportunities. At times you’re the accountant, the social media manager, the admin, the driver, cleaner, it important to be prepared to work in all the different parts of the business. Until the day you are ready to expand and take staff on.”  

Similarly to Muneerah’s transition from an employee to a business owner, being familiar with changing mindsets was something Vanessa also felt was important for her when it came to business growth and taking on your first employees.  

“Once that happens you have to learn quickly not everyone has the same work ethic or passion as you do, everybody has different skill sets so appreciating individuals for being different and bringing something different to the table is a very valuable mindset.”  

When it came to supporting the development and management of individual and team skills within a business, both women sought out the support of Higher Level Skills Match – our Account Managed Skills solution. 

Asking both Vanessa and Muneerah on how approaching Higher Level Skills Match (HLSM) helped them and their business, Vanessa says: “The support on offer and the quality of the placement students has been amazing, it has meant that our business will grow and will continue to grow.” 

During a difficult year for business, students and graduates, and the community as a whole. The great collaboration between business and universities is incredibly valuable. HLSM enabled Vanessa and Muneerah to get access to students who were able to support their small businesses in specialist areas, as well as giving the students the opportunity to gain valuable skills to support with their career journey.

Muneerah also echoes the access to support from students “HLSM provides a fantastic opportunity for businesses like me to make connections with new talent wishing to establish themselves and gain experiences to springboard their careers. I was in the exact same position a few years ago, and as a new business owner, I’m excited and honoured to be able to offer growth opportunities for the students of Birmingham City University. 

“Being able to access the HLSM programme, allows me to develop my business, whilst giving the individual supporting me the much-needed business knowledge, exposure and experience to develop themselves and their career, which is a win-win for everyone.”  

Aside, to the additional access to student talent both businesses found the upskilling support helped them improve their own business management skills and become more confident in their own skillset.

Muneerah mentioned; “another advantage of being a part of the HSLM programme is having the opportunity to strengthen my current knowledge and skills, allowing me to take my business further and faster. I’m currently in the process of getting the valuable support needed and can’t wait to see the direct impact that being on the programme has on my business growth.”

Asking both Vanessa and Muneerah on the advice they would have for other business owners, especially on steps to growth.  

Vanessa says: “The best advice I would give to other businesses is to utilise the services that are made available, sometime you may think you don’t have the time to train a placement student or wonder if they are going to bring any value. The answer is YES, the new opportunity you open for them could be the new lease of life your business was looking for.”

Muneerah added: “My biggest piece of advice for other business owners looking to grow would be to invest in getting the right support for you and your business as soon as possible.

“Yes, you have done an amazing job taking your business this far (and possibly on your own) and you should be proud of everything you have achieved. But imagine how much further you could go with the advice, support and expertise of organisations whose sole focus is ensuring the success of your business. 

“Whether that’s business support through a service like Higher Level Skills Match, a collaboration with another complimentary business or having a conversation with a friend who runs a successful business. It will always be beneficial for you to get someone outside of the business give you their non-judgement feedback to help you grow your business in ways that you would not have thought were possible. 

“And most importantly, enjoy the journey, look to the future with excitement and continue to influence and create change in your industry, using your uniqueness. As after all, that is your superpower and what you offer is exactly what the world needs right now!”  

Both businesses are looking to continue to grow and inspire more and more each day.

Aston Martin Cheltenham has handed over a brand new Vantage Coupe to professional racing driver, Jamie Chadwick.

The reigning W Series champion, Jamie – who also competes in Extreme E and is a development driver for Williams Racing in Formula One – collected the Aston Martin Vantage Coupé, finished in silver with striking black and silver alloy wheels, from the showroom, managed by the H.R. Owen Group. Aston Martin Cheltenham is now able to host customers, by appointment only, in line with government-led COVID-19 lockdown easing.

The Vantage Coupe is an icon of performance sports car by Aston Martin, with Jamie’s car updated for 2021 and representing a dramatic step forward in sharp handling and eye-catching design. Powered by the sensational 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, the new Vantage is lighter and stiffer than before, focused on form and functionality with clear hints of evolution from the Vantage nameplate.

The taut and muscular-looking sports car is shaped with a sculpted bonnet that tapers to two slim LED wraparound headlights and a low, shark-like grille. The classic shape is highly expressive with its single falling shoulder line that connects front and rear with one swooping design line. This Vantage represents class-leading aerodynamics while the rear of the car is dominated by a diffuser that keeps the Aston Martin pinned to the road at high speeds – every detail about this car centres around performance.

Jamie Chadwick, professional racing driver, said: “Aston Martin Cheltenham was one of my first ever partners at the start of my car racing career back in 2015, so I am especially delighted to rekindle this relationship. The Aston Martin brand aligns perfectly with my current ambitions within motorsport and I am looking forward to working with the H.R. Owen team to encourage more young women to enjoy their amazing cars!”

Craig Davison at Aston Martin Cheltenham, said: “We are delighted to work with Jamie in supplying this incredible Aston Martin Vantage, fit for a professional racing driver. We know Jamie is local to us in Cheltenham, and it is important for us to support nearby talent as best we can. We have watched Jamie’s career progress over the last 5 years and we look forward to a continuing our relationship with Jamie as she races during 2021 and beyond.”

The Aston Martin showroom site in Cheltenham 2020 Aston Martin UK Dealer of the Year and Aftersales Customer Satisfaction Index Dealer of the Year, is joined by sister site in the H.R. Owen network, Aston Martin Reading, in stocking all models by the iconic British marque. Both showroom sites re-opened their doors to customers by appointment on 12 April, in line with government guidelines on easing lockdown rules. Throughout lockdowns the showrooms were closed to physical visits but continued to operate with virtual walkarounds and new digital sales processes – always with a customer-first approach.

Two new categories to reflect changing times are to be included in this year’s Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) annual awards, which will again take place on-line.

The awards, again supported by headline sponsors Birmingham City University (BCU), will be revealed on the evening of Wednesday, July 28. They are open to all businesses and include new categories for the hospitality and retail sectors and a special one for companies showing excellence in sustainability.

It will be the second year the Chamber awards,  have been digital because of Covid-19 restrictions but plans are already underway to return to the ICC next year for an awards night bonanza with up to 1,500 guests.

Steve Allen, president of the GBCC, said: “We are, of course, disappointed that we can’t all gather at the ICC the normal way. However, we proved last year that it is still possible to have an evening of excitement and drama on-line.

“We shall still dress up for the occasion as many of our guests and viewers did last year. And we shall be announcing shortly the additional attractions we are arranging to make the evening go with a swing.”

The GBCC’s chief executive, Henrietta Brealey, said: “We are really looking forward to championing the local business community with our 2021 Awards. This well-loved, high-profile celebration is a brilliant platform for businesses to showcase everything they have achieved during the past year.

“Our awards reflect the major business trends of the day with the excellence in hospitality and retail award aimed at recognising those firms on the front end of pandemic restrictions. The sustainability award reflects another pressing issue for our time - the climate crisis - and aims to recognise businesses leading the way on addressing their environmental impact.

“The event will build on last year’s digital celebration - with a few tricks up our sleeves that we are looking forward to sharing closer to the day. We are delighted to once again have the support of BCU as headline sponsors and we look forward to working with them on what we know will be a fantastic celebration of the region’s business community.”

Professor Julian Beer, deputy vice-chancellor at the BCU, said: “It is a privilege to again join with the Chamber for the most prestigious business awards in the region.

“And we look forward to sharing the digital stage in July when the winners will be revealed. Last year’s event had all the pomp and ceremony of the awards dinner at the ICC and represented a fitting reward for some amazing businesses.”

Award categories

·         Excellence in Contribution to the Community 

·         Excellence in Customer Service

·         Excellence in Hospitality & Retail  

·         Excellence in International Business 

·         Excellence in Manufacturing

·         Excellence in People Development

·         Excellence in Responsible Business

·         Excellence in Sales & Marketing

·         Excellence in Sustainability  

·         Excellence in Technology & Innovation

·         Excellence in Third Sector

·         Excellence in Training & Education

·         Greater Birmingham Business of the year (picked from the category winners)

A group of employees from Azets Birmingham -  SME focused international accounting, tax, audit, advisory and business services group - is travelling 232.2 miles – the length of the M6 motorway – in a health and wellbeing office challenge with a twist, including milestones, pitstop days and challenges along the virtual route. Created by Jaden Reynolds, Jo Cox, Elizabeth Malkin and Rachel Green as an initiative to promote health and wellbeing in the workplace, they invited the whole of Azets’ Birmingham office to participate by clocking the distances they walk or run during the lockdown and adding it to the team tracker on Microsoft Teams.

The challenge started on 19^th March 2021 at the southern end of the M6, in Catthorpe, and will end across the Scottish border in Gretna Green. There are 11 milestones along the way, with the team sharing interesting facts about the areas they have reached. The challenge also includes ‘pitstop days’, where participants are encouraged to virtually explore the M6 towns and villages by continuing physical activity without adding their mileage to the total, and ‘challenge days’, where participants complete feats such as the virtual Yorkshire 3 Peaks or Ingleton Waterfall Trail without these distances counting towards the total.

Praveen Gupta, Office Managing Partner with Azets Birmingham, added: “As a team, we are always coming up with new ways to support one another and this has been particularly important over the past year. I challenged the team to create an office-wide initiative and the ingenuity and commitment by Jaden, Jo, Elizabeth and Rachel to devise and manage the M6 Motorway Challenge is outstanding. Awareness around mental and physical health and wellbeing has been brought into sharp focus, and I am proud to lead a team that is as caring as it is talented.”

Administration Manager with Azets Birmingham, Rachel Green, said: “We wanted to encourage colleagues to get outdoors, take some fresh air and make time for themselves – especially during difficult periods of lockdown. The challenge has been really well received, with lots of people getting involved. At one 48-hour pitstop in the Peak District, we recorded 31 miles, which highlighted participation even when that distance didn’t count towards reaching the final milestone at Gretna Green."

Following confirmation that non-essential retail and outdoor hospitality will be allowed to open on tomorrow, Birmingham City Council has revealed new temporary measures to support businesses reopening.

Since the UK Government announced the Roadmap out of Lockdown in February 2021 the Council has approved 18 new Temporary Pavement Licences from businesses looking to place seating on public pavements outside their premises when they re-open next week. The licences were introduced last year as a means of supporting the economy through a quicker, cheaper application process.

The City Council will introduce new changes in the city centre to support the applications from next week, including pavement widening, parking and traffic changes and additional street furniture. The new measures will build on some of the successful schemes that were introduced last year.

Rob James, Birmingham City Council’s Director of Neighbourhoods said: “I’m delighted that by working across the Council, in partnership with our Business Improvement Districts and other key stakeholders, we have identified a number of ways we can support the safe easing of lockdown on April 12.

“We have taken a multi-agency approach to this work, engaging with public health, West Midlands Police, and others to ensure we can help deliver safe solutions that will support businesses after a challenging 12 months. I want to commend colleagues on their hard work under a short timescale.”

To support businesses in the Colmore BID, additional footway widening will take place on Church Street to allow for social distancing outside. Two additional parklets on Church St, funded and delivered by the BID, are also being installed and will be in addition to five parklets that they introduced last year.

To facilitate new Temporary Pavement Licences on Waterloo Street, the road will be closed to vehicles tomorrow between 11am and 11pm. The closure covers the loop from Colmore Row to the top of Victoria Square, and will also support Colmore and Retail BID in their joint venture to transform Victoria Square in to an outdoor seating space.

CEO of Colmore BID, Michele Wilby, said: “The measures we introduced last year have been positively received by the District and city.

“Over the coming months we intend to build on this with a number of new schemes including Summer in the Square and the introduction of two additional parklets. It has been a challenging twelve months for businesses, however we are hopeful for the future and keen to support in any way we can.”  In Westside, hospitality space on Broad Street and Gas Street will be created by enabling the businesses to use the footway and parking bays to support Temporary Pavement Licence arrangements.

Mike Olley, General Manager of Westside BID said: “We have been working with the Council closely to ensure that hospitality businesses in Westside can serve customers safely outside. I’m really pleased that by consulting with local residents, emergency services and other partners, we have been able to come up with a creative, practical solution.”

In the Jewellery Quarter work is already underway to utilise parking bays in Water Street and St Paul’s Square in order to create more space for hospitality businesses, and temporary seating will be introduced on Golden Square. Small-scale roadworks to prohibit vehicles turning left from Queensway onto Livery Street and to suspend the one way in the section between Lionel Street and Queensway will be implemented, to enable businesses to create outdoor hospitality areas within a safe space.

Luke Crane, Executive Director of JQBID said: “The Jewellery Quarter is a vibrant hub of retail and hospitality, so I’m really pleased that by working with the Council we have been able to introduce traffic changes that will increase space for pedestrians and support hospitality businesses to expand their outdoor offering.”

In Southside District, eighteen on-street parking bays will be suspended and converted in to segregated areas to create outdoor spaces on the highway for hospitality. These will be sectioned off using concrete barriers and painted bright colours to create vibrant eating and drinking areas.

There will be no road closures in Retail BID, however layout changes are taking place on John Bright Street to facilitate Temporary Pavement Licence arrangements. The BID has installed a number of new pavement cafes for hospitality businesses throughout the retail area with help from the City Council licensing team.

Latest figures from the UK’s largest coach operator show strong signs of the public’s increased confidence in domestic travel as the country moves toward the next step in the roadmap. National Express restarted operations with a limited timetable and reduced passenger numbers per vehicle on Monday March 29 following an 11 week suspension. Around 70% of seats were sold on services for its first week back, increasing to 80% over the Easter weekend.

John Boughton, commercial director of National Express UK Coach, comments: “Our first week back on the road has been encouraging. We will be adding new routes, including to Yorkshire, Nottingham and Blackpool, and increasing the frequency of some services from mid-April to meet the growing demand we are seeing in line with the next easing of restrictions.

“There have been significant jumps in people planning a coach journey in 2021 every time we reach a date in the roadmap or there is an announcement. We saw online searches increase by 24% yesterday (Sunday 5 April) following the official confirmation from Number 10 that we will move to step two of the roadmap on Monday 12 April.”

Big cities including Bristol, Manchester and Birmingham are consistently popular with demand for leisure destinations growing noticeably from mid-May onwards. “The uncertainty around foreign travel means more and more people are planning a break in the UK this year and using coach travel for their journey.

“Our new option to book accommodation and attractions along with coach travel, complete with a price guarantee and ABTA protection, is proving popular. And we are seeing particularly strong interest in services to major UK holiday destinations such as Bournemouth, Brighton, Blackpool, Skegness and Devon.”

A new full UK-wide timetable will go on sale later this month, and has been redesigned to offer quicker journey times, increased punctuality and improved connectivity for journeys in 2021. “We are going to make coach travel more convenient and even greater value in 2021.”

“We’ve removed the booking fee for any purchases made through a National Express online account and included more options to claim a refund or amend a journey if circumstances change. We have also automatically extended over 100,000 previously purchased coachcards by 12 months.”

There has also been significant investment in making the iconic white coaches the greenest fleet on the road on its return. The average age of a vehicle is only three years old and every one meets the highest possible engine emission standard (Euro VI).

John Boughton continues: “National Express has always been part of being able to see friends and family, go on holiday, attend events and visit attractions. We’re excited to play our part in the UK public’s safe return to travel and help make this happen again.”

Significant covid-secure measures are in place for travel with National Express, including:

• A reduction in the number of seats available on all coaches and social distancing in both stations and on vehicles.
• Enhanced cleaning in both stations and on coaches, including regular aerosol based disinfection -sometimes called ‘fogging’.
• An additional filter on the air conditioning systems of all coaches to reduce bacteria and corona type viruses; and improve air quality.
• Temperature screening before allowing travel with anyone with a high temperature reading not allowed to travel and given a full refund.
• Provision of PPE and use of protective screens on vehicles and in coach stations
• The requirement for customers to wear face coverings when in stations and travelling on coaches, in line with Government guidelines.

Caterham Cars has been acquired by Japan-headquartered automotive group, VT Holdings, from businessmen, Tony Fernandes and Kamarudin Meranun.

The company assumes custodianship of the legendary British sportscar brand having been the Japanese importer for the Seven since 2009, where it currently sells over 120 cars annually. As one of Japan’s largest retailer groups with over 200 showrooms nationwide and investments in UK, Spain, Thailand and South Africa, VT Holdings is also the importer for a collection of two and four wheeled brands including Royal Enfield and Lotus in its home-market.

Motorsport, and the global track-day communities, have always played a central role in Caterham’s commercial success. The brand now joins a group led by Chief Executive, Kazuho Takahashi, who shares the same passions, having raced competitively in JGTC, Super GT and Super Taikyu championships for the past 20 years.

Commenting on the acquisition, Takahashi-san, said: “VT Holdings is proud to welcome Caterham to the group. We have not only purchased a globally renowned performance car manufacturer but become custodians of a motoring legend. We will protect and develop the Seven to meet the legislative challenges that lie ahead.”

Graham MacDonald, chief executive of Caterham Cars, added: “Takahashi-san and the team truly understand the DNA of the Caterham brand, our heritage, our customers and our passions. As a team, we’re all excited about starting to write the next chapter for this very special brand.”

Caterham Cars sell to 20 markets globally with exports accounting for 60% of its annual new car sales volume.

Network Rail has completed a range of essential upgrades to the railway between Euston, the Midlands, North West and Scotland over Easter.

Between Friday 2 and Tuesday 6 April, teams carried out vital work on the railway to improve passenger and freight services on the West Coast main line – the Backbone of Britain.

The £31m investment across the whole of Network Rail's North West and Central region as part of Britain’s Railway Upgrade Plan saw:

·         Ongoing work to upgrade Birmingham New Street station's signals – the complex system and traffic lights of the railway which keep trains running safely

·         Two new bridges installed at Warrington Bank Quay station

·         Two underpasses driven underneath the Chiltern main line in Bicester

·         Work to prepare Euston station for Britain’s new high-speed railway, HS2

Tim Shoveller, managing director for Network Rail’s North West & Central region, said: “Hundreds of frontline staff worked throughout the bank holiday to improve journeys for passengers and freight in the North West and Central region and I’m immensely proud of them and our contractors who helped Network Rail deliver these major upgrades.

“This is just the start of 2021’s work to make the West Coast main line more reliable for our passengers and pave the way for HS2, which will bring much-needed extra railway capacity as the country builds back better from the pandemic.

“Now our attention turns to the early May bank holiday when more essential railway improvements will take place. Because of the amount of work being done, passengers are being urged to travel either side of the bank holiday on Friday 30 April and Tuesday 4 May.”

Meanwhile, travellers are reminded they must continue to follow government guidance to control the spread of coronavirus.

Construction work on new bus priority measures along the A34 in north Birmingham is due to start later this month.

The works will see bus lanes extended, junctions upgraded and new shelters installed between Birmingham City Centre and the Scott Arms junction in Great Barr. This will form part of the wider  Sprint bus route linking the A34 with the A45 to create one continuous route from Walsall town centre to Solihull town centre and Birmingham Airport via Birmingham City Centre.

The measures will benefit all buses using these routes and are designed to allow buses to bypass traffic congestion and as a result improve reliability of bus services and cut journey times.

Works on the A34 are due to begin on Monday, April 19:

·         Scott Arms Junction to Tame Valley Canal

·         A new inbound bus lane is being introduced between Booths Farms Road and Beeches Road. Outbound, a new bus lane will be introduced between Tame Valley Canal and Beeches Road, and an extended bus lane will be introduced between Booths Farm Road and the Scott Arms junction. There will also be an extended right turn at Scott Arms. Ten enhanced bus shelters will be installed with some shelters relocated.

·         Tame Valley Canal to Perry Barr Station

·         A new inbound peak time bus lane is being introduced from Church Road to Aldridge Road. Outbound, the existing bus lane is being extended between the Tennis Court bus stop and Rocky Lane. Eight enhanced bus shelters will be installed with some shelters relocated.

·         Perry Barr Station to Birmingham city centre

A new offside bus lane is being introduced on the approach to Six Ways Island and a new bus lane inbound from Pritchett Street to Coleshill Street. Six stops will be upgraded with some shelters relocated.

The works will require lane closures in each direction for up to six months. National Express West Midlands is operating extra buses on routes in the area to minimise disruption to customers.

Anne Shaw, director of Network Resilience at TfWM, said: “Improving our public transport infrastructure to make bus journeys more reliable is part of our plans to encourage more people on to public transport and help remove some traffic from our roads. 

“Whilst these works could cause some delays to commuters, especially at peak times they will help improve journeys when completed.

“We will be keeping residents and businesses informed of works near their properties and ensuring disruption is kept to a minimum through monitoring from the Regional Transport Coordination Centre and working with our local authority partners and bus operators. We apologise in advance for any inconvenience.”

A fleet of environmentally-friendly zero-emission buses run by National Express West Midlands will operate on the Sprint route offering direct services between Walsall, Birmingham and Solihull from May next year. These include 20 new hydrogen-fuelled buses funded by Birmingham City Council.

Deborah Cadman, the current chief executive of the West Midlands Combined Authority, has been appointed interim chief executive of Birmingham City Council (BCC). The interim position will cover the 2022 Commonwealth Games and local elections, after which recruitment for a permanent appointment will begin.

Raised and educated in Birmingham, Ms Cadman was the first permanent chief executive of the newly formed WMCA in 2017, following 30 years working in public services. She worked at the city council for seven years during her early career followed by senior roles including Head of Policy at Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council and Local Government Advisor to the Ministerial Team at the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions.

Following roles as the Audit Commission's Best Value Service Lead Inspector for the London region and Chief Executive for St Edmundsbury Borough Council and the East of England Development Agency, she was Chief Executive of Suffolk County Council from 2011 to 2017. She was appointed OBE for services to local government in 2006 and is listed in Local Government Chronicle’s ‘100 Most Influential in the Sector’.

Councillor Ian Ward, leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “Deborah is highly respected both in regionally and nationally and I’m delighted that she will be joining us. Her knowledge, understanding and commitment to Birmingham will be invaluable for the year ahead.

“This has been a devastating past 12 months and our focus now is on how we work with partners to ensure that our city and our communities recovers both economically and emotionally. She also has a vital role to play in helping us deliver the Commonwealth Games, ensuring that people and communities across the city reap the rewards and I know she is as passionate as I am about ensuring that the future for Birmingham is bold and bright.”

Deborah Cadman said: “I’m thrilled to be joining Birmingham at such an important time for the city and the region – there are immense challenges ahead, but some great opportunities, too. Returning to the city as chief executive of the Combined Authority has been a great experience. I’m so proud of all we’ve achieved across the region and it will be hard to leave so many brilliant colleagues here.

“But the opportunity to become chief executive of Birmingham City Council is one I just couldn’t turn down. I’m looking forward to bringing my successful experience in working with councillors and partners across national and local government to make a difference to the city. I’m a Brummie born and bred, love the place and the people and I know how ambitious the council is to make a difference to people's lives.”

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said: “Deborah was instrumental in establishing the leading regional role of the Combined Authority when it was set up and since then has played a key role in our work to deliver a better future for everyone who lives and works here. She’s passionate about the West Midlands and a dedicated public servant who’s made a big difference to our work. I’m sorry to see her go, but pleased she’s staying in Birmingham to continue to work in partnership with us on some of our shared key challenges.”

Ms Cadman is expected to take up the role from early summer and adult social care director Graeme Betts will continue as acting chief executive until then.

The appointment is subject to ratification by full council.

The world-leading motorsport business is partnering with X44 to run the team at each round of the five-race series.

X44 will take its followers on a journey of discovery; to show first-hand how human actions are damaging the planet, racing electric vehicles in five remote locations that are already damaged or severely under threat of climate change. The five locations will highlight a variety of serious climate issues including melting ice caps in Greenland, deforestation in Brazil, and rising sea levels in Senegal.

Each X-Prix race weekend will include two days of all-action, short, sharp wheel-to-wheel racing, with world-class drivers and nine teams. Prodrive-contracted drivers Sébastien Loeb, and fellow Dakar competitor, Cristina Gutiérrez, will compete in the X44 ODYSSEY 21. The bespoke E-SUV produces 400 kW (550 bhp) and is capable of reaching 100 kph in 4.5 seconds.

Sébastien Loeb is one of the greatest rally drivers of all time and a legend of the motorsport world, with a record nine World Rally Championships and 79 WRC wins to his name. He has also achieved three Race of Champions wins in which he competed against the world’s best racing and rally drivers.

Driving alongside Sébastien will be gifted Spanish driver Cristina Gutiérrez. Gutierréz is a promising upcoming talent who made history in the 2017 Dakar Rally by becoming the first Spanish female driver to finish the race in the car category, finishing fifth place among the debutantes. Widely known as the toughest rally in the world, Cristina has now finished the race five times, and her talents have been further showcased in her home country, where she previously secured a second-place overall position in the mixed-gender All-Terrain Spanish Rally Championships, finishing top of the female category between 2011 and 2016.

Prodrive chairman and founder David Richards said: “Extreme E is such an exciting and unique concept and I have been fascinated by the project ever since Alejandro launched it almost two years ago. When Lewis then announced his interest in a team it was a great opportunity for Prodrive to help him realise his personal ambitions from the series.”

Prodrive is one of the most successful motorsport businesses in the world. The company has won six World Rally Championship titles; six Le Mans titles; five British Touring Championships; and is the reigning FIA World Endurance Championship GT Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ champions with Aston Martin Racing. 

Pocket Box, a new mobile app for motorists, takes away the irritating headaches of car ownership. The free app securely stores and organises all of the paperwork associated with your car and also gives helpful reminders of key dates such as MOT and Tax expiry.

Pocket Box is simple to use. Documents can either be uploaded digitally or scanned in with the camera on your mobile phone. Once uploaded, all data is fully encrypted and stored with security protocols on par with online banking systems. It can be accessed as and when required – without having to dig through the cupboards and drawers to locate documents!

Pocket Box works for any vehicle and can also help to stay on top of key dates.

As well as MOT and tax renewal, it also includes insurance, warranty, and service reminders. For households with multiple vehicles Pocket Box brings peace of mind and ease of management. In the future event of permitted European travel Pocket Box will assist drivers to remain legal by having all of their vehicle documentation to hand at any time.

Founded by Newry tech entrepreneur Jim Finnegan, the innovative solution has already attracted several business innovation awards. “It’s one of those problems that you don’t even think about until the moment that you need a document or miss a date – and then it’s an issue.

“Where did you ‘file’ that particular piece of info or vehicle document?

“We’ve all done it, says Finnegan. “Pocket Box is designed to keep everything nice and handy, and secure. These days we use our phones for absolutely everything, so adding in the ability to manage all of the dates and documents for your vehicle seems like an easy step. You can use your smartphone’s camera to scan in your driving licence and other documents and the app will set up a list of tasks to ensure you stay roadworthy and legal”.

Pocket Box is already heading towards 10,000 downloads and is in talks with leading brands in the automotive world. Pocket Box is free to download and available on both Google and Apple App stores. Alternatively, you can visit pocketbox.co.uk to download the app.

Three years’ worth of work to upgrade drainage, track and signalling equipment over a seven-mile stretch of railway in North London has been completed in just eleven days by Network Rail.

From April 1 a more reliable railway reopened for passengers after the rapid renewals on the West Coast main line. The upgrades have included:

Drainage improvements in the Victorian-built Kensal Green Tunnel to prevent delays from flooding during bad weather

Major track renewals between Primrose Hill and Willesden Junction

Installation of new signalling equipment Removal of graffiti and scrap metal from beside the railway

Network Rail teamed up with train operators to close two out of four lines on the West Coast main line while fewer passengers were travelling. This amount of work would normally have taken three years of consecutive overnight weekend shifts to complete at a cost of around £19.8m.

The super-fast approach over 11 days brought costs down to £6m - saving the taxpayer approximately £13.8m.

James Dean, Network Rail’s West Coast South route director, said: “I’d like to thank our passengers and lineside neighbours for their patience whilst we completed this work on the economically important West Coast main line.

“I’d also like to pay a huge credit to our train operators and industry colleagues for enabling us to carry out this work at short notice and get the railway in the best possible shape for passengers when they return. This is all part of our commitment to build back better as the country emerges from the pandemic.”

Executive director of operations and safety at Avanti West Coast, Gus Dunster, said: “We are pleased to have been able to play our part to facilitate Network Rail’s upgrade works on the approach to London Euston. These upgrades usually have to be completed one project at a time, but as a result of the collaborative efforts of industry colleagues we were able to complete multiple projects, while operating our services for our customers who needed to travel.

"We would like to thank everyone who travelled with us during this time for their patience. The work will help to make journeys more reliable for our customers when we look forward to welcoming them back in the near future.”

Lawrence Bowman, customer experience director for London Northwestern Railway, said: “This intense period of improvement work will improve the reliability of this crucial part of our rail network and reduce the likelihood of disruption as more people begin travelling again.

“I would like to thank our customers for their patience during the work and urge returning passengers to double-check their train times as some departure times may have changed.”

Meanwhile, people are being advised of work now taking place to improve future journeys between London and Scotland. Work is taking place until Tuesday April 6. Passengers are advised to check information to find out how the work will impact their journeys.

Established to help support children and young people through workshops based entrepreneurship, creativity and mentoring, F2D-ITC is celebrated for providing proven qualified mentors and business owners to impart their knowledge and expertise to ensure that tomorrow’s high-flying decision-makers the relevant tools so that they stay ahead of what is an ever-changing world. As qualified mentors and business owners, we would like to pass on our knowledge, experience and expertise to the next generation, with a view to assisting them to succeed and navigate life with a positive mind-set.

Created and founded by Marcus Isaac, Daniel Gardiner and Gary Thompson, in Birmingham, together they have a clothing line F2D and is a pastor and mentor and decided to merge the two and teach children about entrepreneurships. Established to help support children and young people through workshops based on entrepreneurship, care, creativity and mentoring, the book came when we were looking for something that was a perfect and permanent memory of our workshops.

Workshops take place at schools and colleges – including Newman University and we’ve just developed a partnership with South and City College Birmingham - throughout Birmingham city a we set out to pass on our knowledge, experience and expertise to the next generation, with a view to assisting them to succeed and navigate life with a positive mind-set.

“I like clothes”, Marcus said, “and I thought it would be a great thing to have our own clothing line. And, that’s where the idea of F2D came to fruition.

“We thought of the idea of opening a clothing shop, then we decided to take it one step further and start a clothing line. People like Miley Cyrus, Soulja Boy, Ed Sheeran, Zendaya, Dizzee Rascal, people off Love Island have taken up on our clothing line.”

Daniel, who works at Starbanks School, in his home city, explains the book: “We decided to do the book – which covers all angles on how to be an entrepreneur and how to set-up businesses from a young age; like how to start a business, marketing and branding.

“But, as well as that, we care about the pastoral side and wellbeing of children and young people. We teach them how to believe in themselves. We teach and encourage children to create and make their own T-shirts and how to showcase their creations.

“It’s not all about ‘being rich’, or making quick money. Being rich isn’t the be-all-and-end-all. Their mental wellbeing is more important than making money. It’s important to learn about entrepreneurship – especially in today’s world market.

“Believe to achieve!” Instilling a sense of self-sufficiency in the next generation is paramount in the ethos of F2D. “We want to inspire children – especially those in the inner-city areas similar to where we come from,” Marcus said. “We want young people to be proud of themselves and what they have achieved.”

F2D-ITC started two years ago and now, but, despite the inset of the coronavirus pandemic, their book; ‘Entrepreneurship: A Young Person’s Guide’ – which also features a QR code on each page, that when scanned via a phone or tablet, leads the reader to a video covering each chapter of the book, using animation and narration by a member of the team – is set to be stocked in Birmingham Central Library.

“We don’t want to sell the bool. We want the book to be free for children and easy to be picked-up”, Daniel insists. We wrote the book with a view to inspiring and encouraging young people to become the entrepreneurs of tomorrow….. or maybe even today.”  The book now is gaining massive interest in the USA.

Now based in 5 schools in Birmingham, F2D-ITC is really gaining momentum. “This is not about making money,” Marcus says, “it’s about giving back to a community of which I am very much part of. It’s about enlightening the next generation.” Pupils are fully engaged.

Inundated with testimonials from teachers, lecturers and children worldwide the freedom to dream has never been relevant.

‘Entrepreneurship: A Young Persons Guide’ is just another arm in a fast growing F2D-ITC portfolio as they continue to encourage children to be Free 2 Dream!

Businesses with vehicles that may be subject to the daily charge when Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone launches on 1 June 2021 can join a demonstration of the payment service.

On Thursday, April 15, the Government’s Joint Air Quality Unit (JAQU) will host a free webinar with Birmingham City Council to guide businesses through the process of checking and paying for multiple vehicles using the online service. The webinar will provide an opportunity for businesses to view a step-by-step demonstration of how to check and pay for multiple vehicles, with an opportunity to ask any questions.

Stephen Arnold, Head of Clean Air Zone at Birmingham City Council, said: “There are less than 10 weeks to go until the launch of the Clean Air Zone.  And as we get closer to the 1 June go-live date, we’re encouraging businesses to get ready.

“The business account will enable fleet operators to check and pay for any UK registered vehicles that may be subject to the daily charge in Birmingham and the other Clean Air Zones around England, which are due to be introduced over the next few years.  The webinar will be hosted by JAQU so will provide a great opportunity to better understand how the payment service works and what steps businesses need to take now to get themselves ready for June 1.”

The demonstration will take place via Teams and run for an hour from 10am – 11am. It is free to attend and open to all businesses with commercial vehicles that are registered in the UK. JAQU representatives will demonstrate how businesses can create an account; manage vehicles and view charges; add team members to help manage the account and how to pay for charges.

Head of Policy at Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, Raj Kandola, said: “As we approach June 1, it’s vitally important that businesses are familiar with the payment process and how it will function before the Clean Air Zone goes live. With the Clean Air Zone in Bath starting earlier this month, it’s essential that businesses in our city are fully up to scratch with the process and use this session to iron out any concerns or queries they may around the process.”

Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone will go live on June 1 and charge owners of the most polluting vehicles to drive within the A4540 Middleway (but not the Middleway itself). Businesses can check multiple vehicles and whether they will charged using the Government vehicle checker  and sign up to the payment demonstration via the Brum Breathes website.

A new survey from digital payments expert, PayPoint, confirms that today’s consumers are ready and waiting for immediate, transparent and flexible payment tools to help them manage their financial commitments. Email and SMS as a means of communication far outweigh the traditional ‘letter in the post’ or a phone call – and importantly, a regular, timely digital nudge from finance providers would be welcomed by the majority to ensure they keep on top of payments and avoid arrears.

76% of the 500 people surveyed by PayPoint said they would welcome an email reminder about upcoming payments and 61% for overdue payments.  Similarly, SMS reminders would be positively embraced by 70% of those surveyed for upcoming payments and 60% for arrears. 1 in 3 of those who call for regular email and SMS reminders claim it would prompt them to make an immediate payment. Traditional letters and unexpected telephone calls from providers are not in favour, with 64% saying “no thanks” to a call and 54% to a letter in the post.

Danny Vant, Client Services Director, PayPoint, comments: “Events of the last 12 months have accelerated the digital revolution in so many ways, across so many markets, from retail toutility payments, medical care to social interaction. In turn, this has created a new normal in terms of how people expect to be engaged with, and this includes their financial partners.

“Using mobile technology to manage their finances from the palm of their hand or the comfort of their sofa, crucially at a time that is convenient to them, is key. Our survey results confirm that those employing digital solutions to engage with people are likely to stimulate a positive response, with 35% of consumers surveyed saying they would be more likely to make an immediate payment as a result.”

Therefore, delivering the tools to help people assess their real-time financial situation and the ability to make an informed payment is crucial. 43% of people surveyed by PayPoint would welcome a digital platform that brings together all credit commitments in one place for easy review and financial decision making. Perhaps not surprisingly, 48% of survey respondents said they would embrace an App if it were available from their creditors, suggesting a shift away from websites and mobile enabled websites by adopters of the latest innovations.