KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSThe business NEWSpaper for Kir k lees6, September, 2011

INSIDE

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● Full story - Page 6

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Themosttrustednewsbrandin thebusiness

ANITA CROWTHER

Fu l l i n te r v i ew - Page 3The moral message

Co lumn - Page 5

An EXAMINER publication

Down onthe farmFARMERS acrossKirklees have beengiven a powerfulreason to invest inrenewable energy.Barclays has launcheda £100m fund for UKfarmers investing inrenewable energy andgenerating newincome. The fund,developed with sectorspecialists, is availablefor solar, wind, andhydro projects in theUK.

ConnectcelebratesHUDDERSFIELD manRichard Tadman iscelebrating 10 years ofhis outplacementconsultancy Connectwith the launch of anew service to helppeople facingredundancy get backinto the jobs market.

CLARE QUARTERMAINEFTSE 100-189 .45

5102.58Banker’s account

Firm flying high atHeathrow AirportELLAND firm Andy Thornton is fly-ing high after completing a prestigiouscontract at Heathrow Airport.

The supplier of interiors for bars,hotels and restaurants providedbespoke furniture for the new No.1Heathrow Airport Lounge and TravelSpa in Terminal 3 of the busy interna-tional airport.

Andy Thornton previously suppliedfurniture for lounges at Gatwick andStansted airports, which are both oper-ated by client No.1 Traveller, the leadingsupplier of contract hospitality fur-niture.

The company worked closely on theHeathrow commission with the pro-ject’s interior designers, Inside OutArchitecture, on the exacting specifica-tion and choice of finish ahead of itsopening last month.

Andy Thornton spokeswoman LizBrown said: “The client’s aim was toprovide the ultimate pre-flight experi-ence and create a space that suits theneeds of all of Terminal 3’s departingpassengers.

“They achieved this by creating alounge with something for everyone,from the bustling bar and bistro,through to the quiet snug and soothingspa.”

Andy Thornton, headed by man-aging director Andy Tolley, providedfurniture for all key areas.

In the main lounge area, the firmsupplied a mixture of two andthree-seater Chesterfield sofas andmatching cubes, with button-backleather upholstery as well as chaiselongue in colourful fabric.

In the terrace lounge area, whichprovides panoramic runway views, thecompany provided swivel chairs inchrome. More cubes and a selection of

black and white circular coffee tableswith solid marble tops were also used.

The client also specified two quirkybasket egg chairs – to be suspendedfrom the ceiling by the “Green Wall” , aliving wall of exotic tropical plants thatcreates a tranquil space for weary travel-lers.

In the bar area, Andy Thornton com-bined high-back lounge chairsupholstered in contrasting velvets withblack pedestal coffee tables. Behindthese and fronting the corian-toppedminimalist walnut bar are elegant con-trasting black on black bar stools.

In the bistro, Andy Thorntonprovided elaborate seats and backs inwhite plastic on chrome frames withmatching gloss white tables.

The No.1 VIP room is home to morebespoke high back chairs from AndyThornton, while the company suppliedthe luxurious armchairs with substan-tial cushions upholstered in a mix ofrich-coloured soft leathers for max-imum comfort in the discreet cinemaroom. The company also providedbespoke furniture for the drawingroom, Wiiro o m a n dg a m e sroom.

A n d yThornton isa l e a d i n gsupplier ofs t a n d a r dand bespokecontract fur-niture to thei n t e r n a-tional hos-p i t a l i t ymarket.

■ HIGH LIFE: The luxuriously furnished lounge (above) and thewell-appointed bar area (below) which have been created byElland-based Andy Thornton as part of a “super-lounge” development atHeathrow Airport’s Terminal 3. Left, managing director Andy Tolley

www.chadwicklawrence.co.ukHuddersfield | Wakefield | Halifax | Leeds

Solicitors for business inYorkshire

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS national Page 2

SHARE PRICESLocal shares

FTSE closed at

5102.58Down 189.45

TOURIST RATES

Tourists going abroad can expectthe following rates for sterling:Australia...................... 1.45 dollarsBangladesh................. 112.20 takaBrazil.............................. 2.37 realsCanada....................... 1.52 dollarsChina ............................. 9.22 yuanCzech Republic ...... 25.67 korunasDenmark....................... 8.11 kroneEuro............................... 1.09 euroHong Kong................ 11.95 dollarsHungary ................... 283.25 forintsIndia.......................... 65.43 rupeesJapan........................... 118.08 yenMexico ....................... 17.91 pesosNew Zealand .............. 1.79 dollarsNorway ......................... 8.36 kronePakistan.................. 132.84 rupeesPhilippines ................. 58.43 pesosSouth Africa................. 10.74 randSouth Korea.............. 1505.00 wonSri Lanka ................ 167.82 rupeesSweden......................... 9.92 kronaSwitzerland.................. 1.21 francsTaiwan ...................... 40.99 dollarsTurkey....................... 2.66 new liraUSA ............................ 1.54 dollars

Carclo 270 +1/8Marshalls 97 -31/2National Grid 609 -10Weir Gp 1767 -83

US bid interest in CharterA BRITISH engineering firm at thecentre of a £1.4bn takeover battleconfirmed it is in talks over a rival bidfrom US manufacturer Colfax.

Charter, whose businesses arefocused on welding, cutting and auto-mation and on air and gas handling,has been the subject of takeoverinterest for more than two monthsfollowing an approach from buy-outfirm Melrose.

A deal looked to be on the cards lastweek after Melrose upped its offer fora third time to 850p a share, equival-ent to £1.4bn, and Charter opened itsbooks for due diligence.

However, Charter said it is in talks

with Maryland-based Colfax, after itrevealed last month that it hadreceived other takeover interest.

Colfax said Charter’s Howden divi-sion, which focuses on air and gashandling, would complement its ownfluid handling operation, while theESAB business, which provides weld-ing and cutting solutions, offered it anew growth platform.

Charter said: “These discussionsare at an early stage and there can beno assurance that they will lead to anoffer for the company.”

In 1994, Charter acquired ESABfollowed by Renfrew-based Howdenthree years later.

Debt worries sendUK shares reeling

Alexon reports slump in takingsTHE owner of womenswear chainsKaliko and Ann Harvey deliveredmore bad news for the high street byrevealing a slump in sales duringAugust.

Alexon, which has six brandsavailable in more than 990 outlets inthe UK and Europe, said same-storesales fell by 9% in the first threeweeks of August and that it nowexpects full-year profits to be “wellbelow” expectations.

The board said it was consideringselling the company as one of anumber of options to restructure thestruggling retailer and was in dis-cussions with more than one inter-ested buyer.

The bleak outlook came as a sur-vey from accountancy firm BDOrevealed the high street recorded itsworst sales in two years in August asthe riots that shook the UK took aheavy toll on the retail sector.

Luton-based Alexon, which is alsoreportedly considering a multi-mil-lion cash call to investors in a bid toreverse its fortunes, returned toprofit in the year to January.

But the company has struggled inthe current financial year, withlike-for-like sales in the first sixmonths increasing 0.7% – althoughtotal sales dropped by 8% as itslowed its store opening pro-gramme to conserve cash.

DeputypromotedDEPARTMENT storechain Debenhams hasconfirmed the retirementof Rob Templeman aschief executive and saidhis deputy Michael Sharphad been promoted tothe top job, asannounced in April.

Mr Sharp, 54, hasworked for Debenhamsor former owner BurtonGroup since 1985.

Non-foodsales slipRETAILERS confirmedanother bleak month oftrading – amid acontinued squeeze onthose firms sellingclothing, furniture andelectrical goods.

In a report showingcontrasting fortunes forfood and non-foodretailers, the BritishRetail Consortium saidsales fell by 0.6% on alike-for-like basis inAugust compared withthe same month a yearago.

Poor consumerconfidence and highinflation were blamed forthe lacklustreperformance, with theriots in the early part ofthe month “notwidespread or prolongedenough” to have asignificant impact on thesales figures.

Food sales growth wassimilar to the level seenin July, but the BRC saidnon-food sales fell furtherbelow their year agolevel, with footwear andhomewares showing thelargest declines despitefurther promotions.

NORTH AMERICANAmerican Express £30.12Gannett 648.17Hess Corp £36.02Microsoft 1601.79Motors Liquidation 46.56Wal-Mart Stores £32.30

AEROSPACE & DEFENCEAvon Rbbr 282 -8BAE Systems 2575/8 -87/8Rolls-Royce 6071/2 -231/2

AIMBrady Plc 73 +1/4Dawson Intl 17/8Man Brnze 41 -1Uniq 953/4

AUTOMOBILES & PARTSG K N 1811/4 -101/2

BANKSBarclays 1541/8 -11HSBC 5041/2 -20Lloyds Banking Gp 305/8 -21/2Ryl Scotland 213/4 -3Stan Chart 12991/2 -74

BEVERAGESDiageo 1210 -30SABMiller £215/8 -5/8

CHEMICALSCroda 1679 -73Elementis 98 1453/8 -47/8Johnsn Mat 1566 -89

CONSTRUCTION & MATERIALSBalfour Beatty 2371/4 -101/4Costain 2273/4 -93/4

ELECTRICITYDrax Gp 517 -11Intl Power 3221/4 -45/8Scottish & SthrnEnergy

1248 -28

ELECTRONIC & ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENTLaird 1451/4 -55/8

EQUITY INVESTMENT INSTRUMENTSAlliance Trust 329 -93/4

FIXED LINE TELECOM SERVICESBT Grp 1633/8 -33/4Cable & WirelessComm

363/4 -5/8

Cable & WirelessWwide

321/8 -21/8

Colt Group 1027/8 -75/8KCOM 741/2 -23/4Talktalk Telecom 127 +3/4

FOOD & DRUG RETAILERSMorrison W 2851/8 -67/8Sainsbury 2871/8 -101/4Tesco 3611/4 -133/4

FOOD PRODUCERSAB Food 1038 -28Tate Lyle 570 -18Unilever 1993 -55

GAS, WATER & MULTIUTILITIESCentrica 2861/4 -91/4National Grid 609 -10Pennon Grp 638 -4Severn 1420 -21United Utils 5831/2 -81/2

GENERAL FINANCIAL3i Group 1973/4 -61/8

ICAP 4627/8 -33/4London StockExch 8751/2 -351/2Man Group 2113/4 -71/4Provident Financial 1083 -30Schroders 1445 -36Schroders NV 1146 -27

GENERAL INDUSTRIALSCooksn Grp 4641/8 -307/8REXAM 3391/8 -113/4Smiths Grp 935 -391/2

GENERAL RETAILERSAshley L 181/8 -1/8Carphone Whse 338 -121/4Dixons Retail 11 -1Home Retail 115 -91/4Inchcape 2965/8 -141/4Kingfisher 227 -9M & S 3023/8 -121/2Mothercare 3433/4 -15Next £23 -1/2WH Smith 4801/4 -123/4

HEALTH CARE EQUIPMENT & SERVICESSmith Nph 5931/2 -321/2

HOUSEHOLD GOODSAga Rangemaster 941/2Barrat Dev 781/2 -33/4Persimmon 4341/4 -111/8Reckitt Benckiser £317/8 -11/8Taylor Wimpey 313/8 -15/8

INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERINGCharter 7821/2 -3I M I 805 -48

INDUSTRIAL METALSFerrexpo 350 -25

INDUSTRIAL TRANSPORTATION

BBA Aviation 1603/4 -5LIFE INSURANCE

Aviva 3071/8 -18Lgl & Gen 941/2 -63/8Old Mutual 1125/8 -35/8Prudential 5641/2 -321/2Resolution 2541/8 -113/8Standard Life 1903/8 -75/8

MEDIABSkyB 641 -16D Mail Tst 3771/4 -123/8ITV 543/4 -21/2Johnston Press 5 -1/8Pearson 1064 -24Reed Elsevier 4891/8 -133/8STV Group 109 -3Trinity Mirror 401/2 -21/2Utd Business 4383/4 -241/4UTV 1231/2 -61/2WPP 5941/2 -231/2Yell Group 43/4

MININGAnglo American £235/8 -7/8Antofagasta 1233 -67BHP Billiton 1954 -78Eurasian NaturalRes

625 -331/2

Fresnillo 1986 -47Kazakhmys 9891/2 -501/2Lonmin 1207 -48Rio Tinto £347/8 -17/8VEDANTARESOURCES

1317 -54

Xstrata 9573/8 -611/8MOBILE TELECOM SERVICES

Inmarsat 4551/4 -253/4Vodafone Group 1571/2 -47/8

NONLIFE INSURANCEAdmiral Grp 1324 -38RSA Insurance Gp 1091/4 -33/8

OIL & GAS PRODUCERSBG 1234 -67BP 3631/4 -111/4Cairn Energy 3031/8 -157/8Royal Dutch Shell A 1948 -881/2Royal Dutch Shell B 19591/2 -89Total £28 -11/4Tullow Oil 1075 -37

OIL EQUIPMENT & SERVICESAMEC 861 -251/2Petrofac 1279 -30Wood Gp(J) 5541/2 -241/2

PERSONAL GOODSBurberry Gp 1259 -58

PHARMACEUTICALS & BIOTECHNOLOGYAstrazeneca £273/8 -3/4Axis-Shield 480 +23/4GlaxoSmithK XD 34Shire 1913 -50

REAL ESTATEBrit Land 4983/4 -161/4Captl Shop Cent 3183/8 -63/8DTZ Hldgs 391/2 -1/2Hamrsn 3881/8 -123/8Land Secs 721 -121/2SEGRO 2503/8 -61/8

SOFTWARE ETC SERVICESAutonomy Corp £251/4Invensys 246 -133/4Logica 823/8 -23/8Misys 276 -33/4Sage Group 2473/4 -73/4

SUPPORT SERVICESBerendsen 4695/8 -53/8Bunzl 772 -19Capita 6981/2 -121/2De La Rue 798 -12Electrocomp 2037/8 -65/8Experian 684 -201/2G4S 258 -91/4Hays 721/4 -33/4Homeserve 4573/8 -51/4Menzies J 4953/4 -11/4Rentokil 771/4 -3Smiths News 841/2 +1/2Wolseley 1515 -47

IT HARDWAREARM Hldgs 5331/2 -17Psion 561/2 -13/8Spirent Comms 1215/8 -63/8

TOBACCO

Br Am Tob £27 -5/8Imperial Tobacco £203/8 -1/2

LEISURE & HOTELS

Bwin.Party Digital 1107/8 -85/8Carnival 1830 -63Compass Grp 535 -171/2easyJet 3245/8 -81/2Enterprise Inns 347/8 -31/2FirstGroup 3491/4 -121/4Go-Ahead Gp 1420 -33Greene King 4311/2 -123/4Intercontl Htls 993 -23Intl Cons AirlinesGp

1583/8 -85/8

Ladbrokes 1217/8 -35/8Mitchells & Butlers 2177/8 -97/8Natl Express 2363/8 -63/4Rank Org 125 -61/2Stagecoach Group 247 -33/4TUI Travel 1401/2 -6Whitbread 1457 -37

INDEXFTSE 100 5102.58 -189.45

INDEXFTSE 250 10084.11 -296.91

ROYAL Bank of Scotland sharesslumped by 12% as litigation fears,weak economic data and the eurozonedebt crisis drained market confidence.

The FTSE 100 Index closed yester-day nearly 4% or 189.4 points lower at5102.6 – broadly in line with markets inEurope where signs of higher borrow-ing costs in Spain and Italy hammeredstocks in Paris and Frankfurt.

With markets also lower on Fridayfollowing weak jobs data in the USA,yesterday’s bloodbath took losses in theFTSE 100 Index to £82bn over its lasttwo sessions – erasing tentative recov-ery signs in previous days.

The latest sovereign debt fears meantthe euro tumbled by about 1% againstthe US dollar, while it was broadly flatagainst the pound at 1.14.

Downbeat readings from purchasingmanagers in Europe’s service sector

economies added to the recession fears,with the survey from the UK showingthe worst performance since the footand mouth crisis of 2001.

Banks and insurers bore the brunt ofthe latest sell-off, with RBS down 3.1pto 21.8p after the US Federal HousingFinance Agency filed claims againstthree UK banks as part of actionsrelating to the sub-prime mortgagescandal.

The claims allege that the banksmisrepresented the quality of billionsof dollars of home loans sold to Amer-ica’s state-backed mortgage giants Fan-nie Mae and Freddie Mac.

RBS said it would vigorously defenditself against the claims, but shares stillslumped to near their recent low of19.6p after it was singled out by abroker as the most vulnerable Britishtarget of the claims.

Barclays fell by 11.05p to 154.15pand HSBC slipped by 20p to 504.5p,while Lloyds Banking Group was 2.5plower at 30.65p – despite not being onthe FHFA list.

Earlier in the day, fresh concerns

over the eurozone debt crisis saw Ger-many’s Dax and France’s Cac-40 bothslide by 4% while a national holiday inthe US meant there was no directionfrom the other side of the Atlantic.

The decline followed a slump inAsian markets, prompted by fears thatthe US economy was heading back intorecession.

There was more gloom for the bank-ing sector in a report by forecasters atthe Ernst & Young ITEM Club.

The financial services sector in theUK faces sluggish growth, the ITEMClub warned, threatening the recoveryprospects of the wider economy.

Renewed concerns over growth hitmining stocks, oil prices and retail.

Gold continued to be favoured bytraders. Gold miner RandgoldResources was one of two risers on theFTSE 100 Index, adding just 0.6%.

■ TRADE WOES: Asian marketswere the first to take a beating amidfears of another global recession

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS profile Page 3

Anita Crowther

Yorkshire Bank

HENRYK ZIENTEK

Role: Branch managerAge: 38Family: Married to Andrewwith children George, six, andRuby, fourHolidays: We enjoy holi-days in Majorca and the Scot-tish HighlandsCar: Saab 93First job: Working on a mar-ket stall selling material. Wewent to Skipton, York andBatley marketsBest thing about job:Meeting customers and doingour best to help themWorst thing about job:There are never enoughhours in the day to doeverything you want to doBusiness tip: Ensure youalways deliver what youpromise and provide fantasticcustomer service

Work: Financial servicesSite: New Street, Hudders-fieldEmployees: 20Phone: 07734 894551Email:anita.j.crowther@eu.nabgroup.comWebsite: www.ybonline.co.uk/

Towngetsthecredit

ANITA Crowther is back inHuddersfield – and she’smore than happy to behere!

The 38-year-oldHeckmondwike mother oftwo became manager ofthe town centre branch ofthe Yorkshire Bank only inJune, but knows the townwell from earlier in hercareer when she workedat the New Street site for acouple of years.

“I didn’t know that 12years later I would be backat the branch in a differentrole, but it is good to behere,” she says.

“I think the town isgrowing, which is partlythanks to the developmentof the university. Theshops are full andHuddersfield feels like atown where there is anawful lot going on and a lotto get involved in.”

One of Anita’s aimsfollowing her return toHuddersfield is to get toknow her fellowprofessionals in the townthrough the many regularnetworking sessions andevents such as theforthcoming KirkleesBusiness Conference atthe Galpharm Stadium.

“Huddersfield is a muchbusier town that some ofthe others I have workedin,” she says. “It is veryfriendly and welcoming.”

The Yorkshire Bank hasbeen part of theHuddersfield businesscommunity for many yearsand Anita values its stronglocal ties.

The New Street branchwas refurbished a fewyears ago to make themost of its Victorian decor,creating more space andlight. The branch hasseveral rooms forcustomers to talk tobranch staff – with eachroom named after “localheroes” such as HaroldWilson, Roy Castle andJames Mason.

The Yorkshire Bank ispart of the NationalAustralia Banking Group,which also owns theClydesdale in the UK.

But Anita says: “Webegan as the Penny Bankin Halifax and we haveretained our Yorkshireidentity. Many of ourcustomers have been withus for many years.Looking after the customerand meeting their needsare our priorities. We striveto provide exceptionalcustomer service and weseek to differentiateourselves from thecompetition.

“Banking has changedbecause it is not alwaysnecessary to go into abranch to do everything.There is internet bankingand telephone banking,but we still value localbranches. In the currentclimate, customers arecoming in for advice andthey are thinking moredeeply before makingfinancial choices.

“There are 20 staff atHuddersfield with a teamof 16 in the bank as wellas a savings specialist anda mortgage adviser. Wealso have a business

banking unit.“Part of my job is to

make sure the staff arehighly motivated, to helpthem progress theircareers as they moveonwards and upwards.Services and sales are ourtop priorities and to havethe team in one locationmakes communicationmuch easier.

“We have good moralein the branch with a goodmix of people with differentinterests.”

The branch is proud ofits community links. TheYorkshire Bank is workingwith its charity partnerHelp for Hospices, whichmeans Anita and her teamhave linked up withKirkwood Hospice atDalton.

“We have had a numberof fundraising events,”says Anita. “Ten membersof staff took part in It’s AKnockout at the DRAMCentre in Dalton andraised £600, which thebank will match.”

Bank worker SarahWhitworth aims to

overcome her fear ofheights by taking part in a10,000ft sky-dive onSeptember 18 to raisecash for the hospice. Thebank is helping to boostSarah’s takings with acake sale this Friday whena hospice stall will also beset up.

“It is very important tosupport communities andgood causes,” says Anita.“It is something we arekeen to do and we enjoydoing as an organisation.It is not just about raisingmoney, but giving backthrough volunteering.”

Anita’s career with theYorkshire Bank began 20years ago after shecompleted A-levels atHeckmondwike GrammarSchool.

“I was wondering whichcareer path to follow,” shesays.”As a small girl I’dwanted to be a vet, but Ihad become interested inbanking. I applied for aplace on a managementdevelopment programmewith the Yorkshire Bank,which provided full training

from cashier upwards.“I wanted to go to

work rather than go touniversity and theprogramme still gaveme the opportunity tostudy.”

Anita started workingat the Dewsbury branch,where she completedmost of her training. Shewas at Dewsbury forseven years, duringwhich time she qualifiedas an associate of theChartered Institute ofBankers.

Anita moved toHuddersfield, where shespent a couple of yearsbefore becoming branchmanager atHeckmondwike. Shewent on to become asales manager lookingafter five West Yorkshirebranches and later tookresponsibility for 10sites before theopportunity came toreturn to Huddersfieldas manager. “It was toogood an opportunity tomiss,” says Anita.“Huddersfield is one of

the biggest branches inthe network and it is agreat place to work. It is aflourishing town. The retailside of banking is verybusy and every day isdifferent. You meet a lot ofinteresting people.”

Anita is unusual in beinga “job-share” branchmanager. With two smallchildren – George, six, andfour-year-old Ruby – shefinds sharing duties withcolleague Helen Toonprovides the ideal work-lifebalance.

“We have alwaysworked quite closelytogether and we havesimilar ways of working,”says Anita. “We make agood management team.

“Job-sharing meant thatafter I had the children Icould continue my careerat the same level,” saysAnita. WorkingWednesdays, Thursdaysand Fridays leaves lots oftime to spend with thechildren.

“We get involved with allthe usual children’sactivities,” says Anita.“George is a typical boy,who wants to play football,while with Rubyeverything’s got to be pink!We go camping, cyclingand walking in the LakeDistrict. George also goesto watch HuddersfieldTown.”

Anita is also a Guideleader at a Guides unit inDewsbury, having beeninvolved with themovement since Brownies.“I enjoyed it when I wasyoung and I continue toenjoy taking the Guidesthrough the Guidesprogramme now,” shesays. “It is a way of givingsomething back and it isfun. Guiding touches on alot of skills and providespeople with opportunitiesthey might never have hadotherwise.”

■ TEAM LEADER: Anita Crowther, manager of the Yorkshire Bank’s New Streetbranch, says every day is different

KIRKLEES BUSINESSlocal Page 4

Slight increasein bank lendingLEVELS of lending to manufacturingfirms have improved slightly – butthe cost of borrowing has gone upaccording to a survey.Figures from manufacturingorganisation the EEF showed thatmore firms are reporting a rise ratherthan a fall in the cost of borrowingalthough the availability of businessloans is slowly improving.The EEF said it would use the survresults to call for greater competitionamong banks to improve businesslending.EEF Yorkshire region director AndyTuscher said: “While conditions arslowly heading in the right direction,the overall picture remains far frombeing as supportive as we’d like.“There is clearly more financeavailable, but the fact morecompanies are still reporting anincrease in cost rather than adecrease suggests that firms arepaying a price for it.”

FAMILYBUSINESSJonathan James

Jonathan James is head of private client and familydepartment at Austin Kemp Solicitors

Clear round for Equi-TrekAN award-winningHuddersfield company isriding high with its latestdevelopment.

Meltham-based Equi-TrekLtd has built up aninternational client list for itsrange of high-quality horsetrailers and transporters.

Now it has launchedspecial edition vehicles tocelebrate the 50thanniversary of theworld-famous BurghleyHorse Trials.

Visitors to this year’sevent had the opportunity toorder the vehicles, whichhave a specially-designedplaque to commemorate themilestone.

Equi-Trek supplieshorseboxes and trailers tomany top professionalriders, including John andMichael Whitaker, OliverTownend and Robert Smith.

The family-run firmteamed up withNorfolk-based dealership H& C Bearts to sell thespecial edition vehicles at

the trials, which took placelast week in the grounds ofthe Burghley Estate inStamford, Lincolnshire.

H & C Bearts, officialEqui-Trek dealer, has beenattending the BurghleyHorse Trials for more than adecade.

Equi-Trek was namedInternational Business ofthe Year at the 2010Examiner Business Awardsand landed the trophy forSME of the Year at the 2009event.

The firm’s starting pointwas to design a uniqueside-loading trailer to makeloading and unloading lessstressful for the horse andprovide betteraccommodation for itshuman companions.

Over the years, thecompany has widened itsrange of products and hasexhibited across Europe toachieve export sales toBelgium, France, Italy,Germany and Sweden.

■ FLYING HIGH: Equi-Trek made an impactwith its latest products at the famousBurghley Horse Trials

It’s that suitetaste of successA NEW sponsor has been signed upat Huddersfield’s Galpharm Stadium.Chartered accountancy firm RevellWard has taken over sponsorship ofthe English Partnership Suite – thestadium’s biggest conference andbanqueting facility.The newly-named Revell Ward Suiteis used for everything from privateparties to corporate events,conferences and matchdayentertainment.As part of the partnership, RevelWard, which has offices at MarketStreet, will use the space on a regularbasis for its networking andcorporate events.Revell Ward already has along-standing partnership withHuddersfield Town.Karen Borowski, partner at RevellWard, said: “I am delighted to takethis professional partnership a stafurther, Moreover, we see it as anopportunity to work with many mororganisations and add value.”Gareth Davies, managing director ofKirklees Stadium Development Ltd,said: “The Revell Ward culture andethos is one that I relate to and canwork alongside. Karen Borowski is astrong adviser and this is justanother step in working inpartnership with Revell Ward.”

■ STADIUM CALL: Galpharmmanaging director Gareth Davies withKaren Borowski, of Revell Ward

Break-ups andthe ‘golden egg’WHAT does it cost to keep

the goose that laysgolden eggs?

You’ve worked for years toestablish your business. It hasgone through all the usual stages.There were the sleepless nights ofthe early days, when you didn’tknow if you would have a cus-tomer to sell to or the money topay your suppliers. There was theelation of your first really bigorder and your pride when youheard that you had been recom-mended by one customer toanother to be its new supplier.

You received an industry award,presented at a black tie dinner.Perhaps you spent more time onyour business and less time onyour marriage and as one hastaken off, the other has stagnated.Now there are real problems withyour marriage, what are theimplications for your business?

Well actually it depends on itsnature and your future commit-ments.

The first question is, has thebusiness a value at all? Mr V wasan optician. He had his own busi-ness but in truth, all it did wasgenerate his income.

He traded from rented premisesand apart from the second handvalue of his optician’s equipment,it had no assets.

However, it was argued that anincome stream is capable of havinga capital value put on it. Mr Vshould have his income streamassessed and capitalised.

That would then be an asset andhis wife should get a share. Not so,said the judge. If his wife got alump sum payment from the capit-alised value of the income, andmaintenance as well, she would begetting her share twice. She gotmaintenance alone.

Because businesses aren’t cashin themselves, courts look at themdifferently from other assets.

Extracting money from a busi-ness isn’t always straightforwardand almost always gives rise to atax payment, so even an agreedvaluation for a business can be ahindrance – one party sees thecash value and thinks of a cashpayment.

The other sees the damage tothe business if working capital is

withdrawn and the tax which isgoing to have to be paid on adividend or salary payment.

That’s not to say, though, that acourt will never make an orderwhich will result in a businessbeing sold. As one judge put it:“Those taboos against selling thegoose that lays the golden egg havebeen laid to rest. Nowadays thegoose may well have to go tomarket for sale”.

In that case, the business owner,the husband, was given three yearsto finance his wife’s settlementgiving him time to sell one of hisbusinesses.

When it comes to divorce, secur-ing the business can be a complic-ated thing and creative solutionsmay well be needed.

Will you have to sell it? Probablynot. Will your spouse get a shareof it? Maybe. To know for sure,there are no shortcuts – you’llneed specific advice.

Safety issues foryoung workersSAFETY issues affecting apprenticesand people on work experience comeinto focus at an event next week.Kirklees and Calderdale OccupationalHealth and Safety Group has organisedthe seminar to take place from 8.45amto 11am on Wednesday, September 14,at the Buckley Lecture Theatre,Huddersfield University.Kirkdale Industrial Training Serviceswill give a presentation on the healthand safety aspects of apprenticeshipswhile Calderdale and Kirklees Careerswill look at health and safety as itrelates to work experience schemes andemploying young people.The Institution of Occupational Safetyand Health will explain its onlineWiseup2work information and activityhub for the under-21s, trainingproviders, teachers and employers toraise awareness and ensure betterunderstanding of health and safety.Contact Michael Metcalfe on 01422388318 or go to www.kcohsg.orh.uk

Biggest fare bestBRITAIN’S largest companies havereported the biggest fall in businessfailure rates, according to a survey.Business information group Experiansaid firms employing 501 or more staffsaw a 13% fall in insolvencies in Augustcompared with July, 2010.The overall UK business populationreported a 0.10% rise.

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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS local Page 5

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MARKETINGMATTERSClare Quartermaine

Clare Quartermaine is director of QT Creative Making friendswith Hong KongHONG Kong as a gateway to the Asiamarket will be the topic of a seminar tobe staged in West Yorkshire this month.Batley-based China Connections hasjoined forces with organisationsincluding the Hong Kong tradeDevelopment Council and the BritishChambers of Commerce to promote theevent, Hong Kong – Your partner forSourcing and Marketing in Asia.Speakers at the event, which takesplace at 2pm on Wednesday, September14, at the Hilton in Leeds, includeRaymond Yip, assistant director of theHong Kong Trade Development Council;Brig Christopher Hammerbeck,executive director of the BCC in HongKong; and Josh Wong, partner at DLAPiper.A spokeswoman said: “This seminarwill provide practical advice on how toaccess the Asian market through HongKong, with a special emphasis on theChinese mainland.“Case studies will be shared by ourspeakers from Hong Kong and the UKthat will provide insights on how tograsp the significant businessopportunities in the Asian region.”In addition to the speakers, Hong Kongservices providers from several sectors,including legal, accounting, consultingand logistics services, will offer freebusiness consultations on doingbusiness in Asia.Go to www.thinkasiathinkhk.com

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Judges find the clear winnerA GLAZING company has time to reflect onits latest success.

Novaglaze Gardner & Newton Ltd is thelatest winner of the Eaton Smith Businessof the Month Award in recognition of astring of successes.

Gardner & Newton started bending glassin 1836. In 2006, after 170 years in theindustry, the company joined forces withanother leading curved glass manufacturer,Novaglaze, based in Huddersfield andrelocated to a 46,000sq ft factory inLockwood.

Now, NGN offers its clients a wide rangeof products and services and is continuallyinvesting in new machinery to keep morework in-house.

The firm recently commissioned a secondstate-of-the-art bending and tougheningfurnace resulting in orders being completedto the highest standard and with theshortest possible lead times.

Such financial investment has enabledNGN to establish itself as a leading provideracross the region and nationally. Contractsinclude ones to manufacture and supplynew curved glazing panels for the famousLondon Eye.

In addition, the company has developedlinks with Huddersfield University by projectworking with the surface design departmentof design and employing a number of localgraduates.

Despite the slump in the constructionmarket, NGN has a strategy to continue to

meet its clients’ demands through furtherinvestment, growth and expansion plans.

NGN director Gary Smith said: “In theseextremely challenging times, the companyhas expanded its range and through amajor training programme ensured we growboth customers and the business, too.”

The Eaton Smith Business of the MonthAward, which is run in association with theMid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce andBusiness Link Yorkshire.

Go to www.eatonsmith.co.uk or contactIan Greenwood on 01484 821389.

Moral messagefor big businessRECENT events such as the riots

and the consequential looting areraising fundamental questions aboutthe role of big business in our societyand as a marketer, I am aware of theclash that sometimes occurs betweenmaking money and morality.

But where is the boundary when it comesto marketing to young people and can bigbusiness be to blame for recent events?

The riots certainly provided a great dealof passionate debate for everyone.

And for some, in particular youth tar-geted brands, this was a wake-up call toaddress a little of the complacency and toaddress the influences that their brands haveon the wider society.

We might ask the question; where are theethics of targeting under age people to covetgoods they cannot expect to afford?

Are these brands using positive messagesto sell their products or exploiting youthfulinstincts?

This may not be to blame for recent eventsbut many think this had some influence.

There are strict guidelines in the industrywhen marketing to children – and I quoteone of them: “Marketing directed at chil-dren must not actively encourage [them] tomake a nuisance of themselves to par-ents…”

This doesn’t address the issue of youngpeople that aspire to brands not associatedwith children and therefore outside of this

remit.There are many brands that can be associ-

ated with rebelliousness and are seen asaspirational by young people – possibly forthe wrong reasons.

With business having almost as muchinfluence on our lives as governments andoften clashing with them – the public canexpect some brands to look again at howthey communicate their marketing.

It’s okay to make money, but exploitationis being recognised as more than about whomakes the products, it’s also about whoyou’re targeting.

So now, not only do businesses have to begreen, socially responsible and trade fairly –they now need to be morally responsible aswell.

It’s yet another yard stick upon which wemay judge a business or product’s credibilityand thus buying power.

This is certainly the case for businessesthat trade on other shores where different

moral rules may apply.One might also ask the question – who’s

morals? When Google acquiesced toChina’s censorship demands of its searchresults it was accused of conveniently forget-ting human rights, but after moving opera-tions to Hong Kong to escape thecensorship was then accused of imposing itsvalues on China. Who’s right?

It’s all getting science fiction here – buthow does this apply to our local area?

The point of addressing these issues hereis that it is more than likely that recentevents will change our expectations of busi-ness and its message.

It would therefore be sensible for busi-nesses to consider this.

If we want consumers to buy ourproducts, they might well expect us to havesome morals.

This is an opportunity for brands to sendout positive messages about their values andbuild positive images about their business.

■ WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY: Deborah Melluish (third right), of Eatom Smith,presents the award to Gary Smith (second right) and Peter Farley (right), of NovaglazeGardner & Newton, watched by (from left) Kathryn Shuttleworth, of the Mid YorkshireChamber of Commerce; Kevin Newson, of Yorkshire Bank; Jason Metcalfe, of HansonChartered Surveyors; and Peter Ransom, of Business Link

Firm’s told not toforget the filing

SMALL firms across Kirklees have beenurged not to neglect their CompaniesHouse filing responsibilities afterfigures were released showing thatmore than £90m of fines had beenissued in just 12 months.The fines were levied against firms filingcompany accounts late.But fines can also be issued for latedelivery of annual returns.Annual returns are designed to gather asnapshot of company informationincluding company secretary anddirectors, registered office address,shareholders and share capital.If documents are delivered late,Companies House also has the power toprosecute company directors andsecretaries and even remove companiesfrom the Register, in which case, thecompany assets become the property ofthe Crown.Nick Brook, of TaxAssist Accountants inLockwood, said: “With the deadlinesand demands of filing with HMRC, toooften Companies House filing isoverlooked or even forgotten until it istoo late.“In these challenging times, businessesneed to be using their cash andresources effectively, rather thanincurring late filing penalties –especially given that Companies Housecan now levy eye-watering penalties ofup to £3,000 for late filing of accounts.”During the year to March 31, 2011,Companies House prosecuted andconvicted 1,904 directors for failure tofile either an annual return or set ofaccounts on time with CompaniesHouse.

local Page 6KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

Bank makes energeticefforts for farming sectorFARMERS across Kirklees havebeen given a powerful reason to investin renewable energy.

Barclays has launched a £100mfund for UK farmers investing inrenewable energy and generate newincome.

New figures released by the bankreveal that 37% of the UK's farmersare expecting to invest in renewableenergy – with the majority doing sowithin the next year. Farmers arefurther expecting the investment togenerate returns averaging £25,000 ayear.

The fund has been developed withsector specialists, including NationalFarmers Union. The fund is availablefor solar, wind, and hydro projects inthe UK – with Barclays includingprojected feed-in-tariffs (FIT) whenassessing each loan.

“For farmers investing makessense,” said Martin Redfearn (pic-tured), head of agriculture at BarclaysBusiness. “It’s good for the environ-ment, but for the majority it’s aboutgood business.

“Over the years, farmers havestruggled with low commodity pricesand increasing costs, and Barclays

has already supported many farmersas they seek new ways of makingmoney.

“Renewable energy productionoffers farmers a further opportunityto develop their businesses and add totheir traditionally vital roles of pro-ducing food and managing the coun-tryside.

“What farmers see is a win-win –lower costs and increased income –

and the majority expect the invest-ment to pay for itself in under 10years, meaning they are looking for-ward to many further years of lowerenergy costs and a potentially newincome as they sell energy back to thegrid.”

Four out of five farmers questionedin the bank survey said they recog-nised that renewable energy couldprovide significant cost savings – with60% of the 300 people polled expect-ing it to generate additional incomefor their business.

In the medium term, increasedinvestment in renewable energyappears even more likely, withBarclays predicting the costs of windand solar projects to fall by up to 50%in the next three to five years.

The new fund will support thegovernment’s recent commitment forthe UK to generate 15% of its energyfrom renewable sources by 2020.

For more information on Barclaysrenewable energy fund, contactBarclays’ relationship managers or goto the Dairy Event and LivestockShow website www.dairyevent.co.uk

Dean’s messagefor entrepreneurs

■ TOWN TALK: Dean Hoyle (left), chairman ofHuddersfield Town, with Danny Matharu, organiserof the Kirklees Business Conference

HUDDERSFIELD Town chairman DeanHoyle is a man with a message for business.

Now the founder of Card Factory will offerdelegates in a question and answer session at thisyear’s Kirklees Business Conference a forthrightinsight into how he set up, grew and sold hisbusiness – and what it’s like to own the footballclub he has supported man and boy.

Together with wife Janet, Dean set up greet-ings card retailer Card Factory in 1997 and builta business empire consisting of more than 500shops nationwide – an achievement that saw himnamed Ernst & Young North and MidlandsEntrepreneur of the Year in June, 2009.

Dean became chairman of Huddersfield Townthat same month, having joined the board ofdirectors as chairman-elect in April, 2008. InMarch last year he became sole owner of Hud-dersfield Town and on April 8, 2010, CardFactory was sold to private equity groupCharterhouse.

Danny Matharu, event director of KBC said:“Dean is a true entrepreneur, an icon of enter-prise and a real Kirklees champion who started

his business with very little and grafted his way toachieve astonishing success.

“This Q&A format will allow for a moreinteractive seminar and allow Dean to share thesecrets of his success in a two-way format.

“For me, Dean is a real modern-day nationalbusiness leader. After creating a business empireand selling it, he continues to support our localeconomy when he could have easily retired andled the easy life. This really is a one off opportun-ity to pick the brains of our district’s best.”

Dean said: “Kirklees Business Conference isour district’s flagship business event and I’mproud to have been asked to participate andimpart my knowledge to the local businesscommunity.

“KBC is key to the success of the Kirkleeseconomy as it encourages local businesses toopen up closer trade links with each other.”

KBC takes place on Thursday, September 29,at the Galpharm Stadium.

For more information and to book your freetickets, visit www.kirkleesbusinessconference.co.uk

Green lightfor allianceA LAW firm in Huddersfieldhas made a publiccommitment to slashing itsCO2 emissions.Ridley & Hall has agreed toadopt and pursuechallenging emissionsreduction targets – andencourage others in the legalsector to follow suit.The implementation oftargets has been agreed bythe 20 executive members ofthe Legal Sector Alliance, aninclusive movement of lawfirms and organisationscommitted to workingtogether to reduce theircarbon footprint and adoptenvironmentally sustainablepractices.LSA members havecalculated theirorganisation’s carbonfootprint according to ameasuring system designedfor the LSA.Ridley & Hall is now urgingother law practices acrossthe town to join the initiativeby hosting a Legal SectorAlliance HuddersfieldEnvironment Forum from4.30pm to 6pm onWednesday, September 21,at the firm’s offices inQueen’s House, MarketStreet.The free event will coverenergy and cost-savingadvice, case studies fromRidley & Hall’senvironmental initiatives,information about thebenefits of collaboration andnetworking.

property Page 7KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSLateral thinking pays offfor DTZ Yorkshire teamPROPERTYagency DTZ hassold a Leeds citycentre officeinvestment for£24.25m.The agency wasacting on behalf ofreceivers BrynWilliams and PhilipGlenn, who wereappointed byLehman Brotherson behalf ofOregan FinancialTrust Services Ltd.The asset was soldto German fundmanager RREFF.DTZ’s Leeds andLondon investmentteams wereappointed by thereceivers to sellthe property, whichtotals almost

97,000sq ft.Built in 2005, theasset is currentlylet by way of twoleases to theSecretary of Statefor Communitiesand LocalGovernment.The propertyprovides a total

rent roll in excessof £2m a year.James Lawlor(pictured),associate directorwith DTZ in Leeds,said: “Although theregionalcommercialpropertyinvestmentmarkets remainchallenging, thedisposal of Lateralhighlights thatdemand does existfrom a number ofdifferentpurchasers for thecorrect product.“It represents oneof the mostsignificant officeinvestmenttransactions in theregion in 2011.”

Refurbishment workproves just the ticketA WEST Yorkshire constructioncompany has completed workto refurbish a bus depot.

GMI Construction, which iscontracted to build KirkleesCollege’s new engineeringcentre at St Andrew’s Road,Huddersfield, has completedthe £6m project for First Bus inWigan.

Work to the previouslyredundant site on Lockett Roadstarted in January.

The completed project washanded over at a ceremonywhich also included theunveiling of a commemorativeplaque by North Western TrafficCommissioner Beverley Bell.

The refurbishment hasprovided a state-of-the artmaintenance facility, featuringthe latest in safety equipmentand environmentally-friendlysystems as well as a modernbus wash which is designed tolimit the amount of water

needed to keep First busesclean.

The development alsoincluded refurbishing theexisting administration block toprovide a new mess room,drivers’ rest area, toilets, lockerrooms and offices.

A new learner centre allowsstaff to take qualifications in arange of subjects when off-duty.

More than 300 of First’s staffwill be based at the site, whichwill house and maintain up to120 buses.

Paul Whitaker, commercialdirector at Leeds-based GMI,who has been involved in theproject, said: “The site hasundergone a considerabletransformation.

“It is heartening to know thatthe wider communities of Wiganwill benefit from the newfacilities as it also incorporatesan educational centre to boostskills development with staff.”

Mirfield landup for auctionBRITISH Waterways is hoping to sellsurplus land at Mirfield at a forthcom-ing property auction.

The vacant parcel of land, compris-ing more than an acre, is alongsideHuddersfield Road, Mirfield, and hasa guide price of £15,000 to £20,000.

It is among more than 200 lotsscheduled to come under the hammerat a two-day sale by auctioneer Eddis-ons later this month.

Among other lots, a vacantdetached three-storey building atHigh Road, Dewsbury, which hasplanning consent for conversion intosix apartments has a guide price of£35,000-plus and is offered on theinstructions of the LPA receivers.

Residential stock coming under thehammer includes a vacant, partfire-damaged inner terrace house onBankfield Road, Huddersfield. Theproperty is currently arranged as sixbedsits and is in need of complete

repair and refurbishment. The guideprice is £50,000 plus.

The sale takes place on September13 at the Premier Inn, Trafford Park,Manchester and on September 15 atLeeds United FC, Elland Road,Leeds. Both sales start at 12.30pm.

The 202 lots include tenanted andvacant commercial and residentialproperty, development sites and par-cels of land, some of which have

declared nil reserves.Eddisons said the auction market in

the first half of 2011 had been “brisk”with all sales attracting large attend-ances and much of the stock being indemand.

The firm report that in the 10 salesbetween February and July, total pro-ceeds generated were £43.7m. At themost recent sales in June and July, 245of the 326 lots offered were sold – asuccess rate of 75% – generating pro-ceeds of more than £18.2m.

Tony Webber, of Eddisons, said:“Throughout the first half of the year,we have seen consistently high attend-ances at our auctions.

“With traditional investmentvehicles continuing to under perform,it is clear investors are once againturning to auctions on the look out forwell-priced property which willprovide strong rental returns or longerterm capital growth.”

Success for Somersbury CourtAN award-winning propertydeveloper is set to round off asuccessful 2011.Brockholes-based ConroyBrook said its SomersburyCourt apartment developmentat Almondbury had continuedto sell at a steady pace overthe past two years – with thepace picking up in the pasteight months as the companyrecorded twice as many salesas in 2010.Now the company is staging aspecial open weekend onSaturday and Sunday in a bidto showcase the remainingfew apartments remaining atthe 30-apartment complex.Somersbury Court wasnamed best designedapartment building in the UKat the 2010 Housebuilder ofthe Year Awards.Conroy Brook was alsonamed overall winner of theHousebuilder of the Year forthe small or mediumdevelopment category.The two-bedroom luxuryapartments, which start from£144,950, have beencraftsman built in naturalstone, with curved glassbalconies, spectacular viewsand high quality fixtures andfittings.Somersbury Court is set infully landscaped gardensfeaturing an imposingsculpted stainless steel waterfeature.There is also a summer housein the grounds of thedevelopment for the use ofresidents.■ WINNING LOOKS: Conroy Brook’s Somersbury Court development

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Industrial unit to let9,000 square feetGood yard area andample parking

1st and 2nd floor offices to letup to 4,376 square feet

Main road location

Contact: Paul Andrew Walker Singleton 01484 477600Christine Eccleston MB Services 01484 557102

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS Movers and shakers Page 8

Verity awaitsawards verdictA PUBLIC relations company headed byGomersal woman Suzanne Johns hasreason to celebrate.

Verity Hudson, 28, senior accountmanager at Approach PR, has beenshortlisted for the category of Yorkshire &Lincolnshire Outstanding YoungCommunicator of the Year in the 2010PRide Awards run by the Chartered

Institute of PublicRelations.

Verity (pictured)will compete againstthe region’sbrightest PRpractitioners for theaward, which will bepresented at aceremony inNovember.

Approach PR,which is celebrating

10 years in business, has also beenshortlisted in the awards for BestCampaign Under £10k and Best Use ofSocial Media for its work withHalifax-based Rev Ray Biddiss and hisTriumph motorcycle hearse.

Verity joined the company in 2007 beforeApproach PR grew out of its Cleckheatonpremises and moved to its current site inBradford.

She has played a key role in campaignsfor sectors including interiors, health,charity, hospitality and manufacturing. Shehas also developed the agency’s digital PRprovision, became a PR trainer andtransformed the company website with aten-fold increase in traffic.

Approach has previously won a total of14 industry awards, including gold for bestuse of media relations, gold for corporateand business communications and silverfor its charity and not-for-profit campaign.

Hat-trick for Town fans

FINANCIAL and business adviser GrantThornton has scored a hat-trick withHuddersfield Town.

The company is supporting the clubfor the third year running – having firstpledged its support as one of Town’smain partners ever since businessmanDean Hoyle become chairman andrebranded Town as the “YorkshireClub”.

Grant Thornton has backed the clubsince 2009 as recognition of the wayTown has nurtured links withsupporters and organisations acrossthe country.

More recently, Grant Thornton hassupported the Huddersfield TownEnterprise Academy. Its backingthroughout the 2010/11 season helpedmake the academy a focal point forbusinesses in the Yorkshire region forexchanging ideas regarding business

practice and networking.Three meetings were held throughout

the season, including one at Pontefractracecourse.

Grant Thornton has offices in 27locations nationwide. The firm is part ofGrant Thornton International Ltd, one ofthe world's leading organisations ofindependently-owned and managedaccounting and consulting firms.

Town commercial director SeanJarvis said: “We are delighted toannounce that one of our main clubpartners Grant Thornton is going tocontinue their excellent support ofHuddersfield Town for a further year.”

Grant Thornton partner Ian Marwoodsaid: “Our association withHuddersfield Town is something we arevery proud of – with the whole ethosand atmosphere of the club reflectingaspiration and success.“

■ TEAM SHEET: Town commercial director Sean Jarvis (right) and commercialmanager Tracy Nelson with Grant Thornton partner Ian Marwood in the club’s newHeritage Suite

Sue Douthwaite

SantanderSANTANDER CorporateBanking has appointed SueDouthwaite to the role ofdivisional managing directorfor the North of England.

Ms Douthwaite (pictured)joins Santander from theRoyal Bank of Scotland,where she was the regionalcorporate banking director forYorkshire and the North-East.

In her new role, she will lead a team ofcorporate and commercial banking experts inLeeds, Manchester and elsewhere in theregion. She has more than 25 years bankingexperience, much of that time in corporatebanking in leadership, management andmarketing roles.

Birthday offeris guaranteed!AN outplacement specialistwith a Huddersfield man at thehelm is celebrating its 10thanniversary – with a present forpeople facing redundancy.

Connect, headed by founderRichard Tadman, offers out-placement services to compan-ies across the UK who aremaking redundancies.

The agency’s consultantsoffer employees support inareas such as dealing with theloss of their job, identifying newcareer paths, CV writing andinterview techniques – givingthem the best possible chance offinding employment again.

At the company's celebratorym e e t i n g , M r T a d m a nannounced the launch of TheConnect Guarantee – a pledgeto provide candidates with helpuntil they are resettled by find-ing a job or starting their ownbusiness.

It is believed to be the firstguarantee of its kind in theoutplacement industry where,

traditionally, companies aresold a fixed number of sessions,or credits for their employees tospend on different services.

“Most outplacement com-panies work with candidates foras long as the contractrequires,” said Mr Tadman.

“We will continue to workwith candidates until they areresettled. It’s a first for theindustry and seems to havechimed with people.”

He said: “Firms which lookafter their staff when they needto make cuts can maintain theirpublic image and uphold mor-ale in the workplace among theremaining employees, whocou ld otherwi se be d i s-heartened at losing their col-leagues and having to pick uptheir workload.

“Sometimes redundanciesare unavoidable. Companiesthat treat employees well atthese difficult times are mostlikely to rebuild healthily in thefuture.”

Connect, launched in 2001,has helped national and mul-tinational companies, including

Legal & General, Dunhill, Wil-liam Hill, Royal Liver and theLearning and Skills Council.

■ CAKE WALK: Richard Tadman (front left) and co-director andPhil Griffiths (right) join their consultancy team in celebrating thebusiness' 10th anniversary

Andy Lee, Lynne Noble & Andrew Voice

Wilby LtdCHARTERED insurance broker Wilby Ltd hasappointed three new members of staff(pictured above).

Andy Lee (left) joins from Towergate as anaccount executive. He has experience indealing with many aspects of insurance,including commercial insurance.

Lynne Noble joins Halifax-based Wilby fromanother national broker, Marsh InsuranceBrokers, where she worked as an accountexecutive. She has been in the industry formore than 25 years.

Also joining from Marsh is Andrew Voice, achartered loss adjuster with more than 19years experience.

Richard Blackburn, managing director ofWilby Ltd, said: “We are delighted at the levelof talent we have added to our team. Webelieve their experience and expertise will beinvaluable to the company and will add to thealready impressive level of service our clientsreceive.”

Shaun Watts

Welcome toYorkshireTOURISM group Welcome toYorkshire has appointedbusinessman Shaun Watts asnon-executive director.

Mr Watts (pictured) hails fromHull and runs his own firm,Chameleon Business Interiors,which was launched in 1998 andhas offices in York and Hull.

A former president of Leeds York & NorthYorkshire Chamber of Commerce, he is aboard member of the York and North YorkshireLocal Enterprise Partnership.

He said: “I am very much looking forward toworking with Welcome to Yorkshire’s membersand partners and hope to have a direct impacton the fortunes of the county’s tourismindustry.”