We love it when businesses send us their good news and here’s our latest good news round-up, kindly sponsored by PALADIN. Awards, expansion, new contracts or new appointments, if you’ve got some good news you want to share please email the editor, Martin Shaw, on martin@huddersfieldhub.co.uk.
A Holmfirth wedding dress specialist which has enjoyed continued success and growth over the past 12 months has been named Bridal Retailer of the Year across Yorkshire and the North East for the second year in succession.
Dotty Bridal now progresses to the national shortlist at the Wedding Industry Awards, with the 2025 winners in each category set to be announced at a glittering awards evening in January.
The event is held to showcase the best suppliers on offer across the UK wedding sector, with couples able to select from award-winning companies for their big day, from wedding dresses and wedding planners to videographers, content creators and cake makers.
Dotty is now aiming to be crowned the UK Bridal Retailer of the Year in the category for businesses established more than four years for the second year in succession, but owner Shannon Martin says claiming the regional prize again represents a “huge endorsement of the personalised, experience led service provided to brides-to-be.”
“We’re absolutely thrilled to have been named winner in the Bridal Retailer of the Year for Yorkshire and the North East once again,” she said.
“There are so many excellent bridal retailers across the region, so to be named the best of all two years in succession is a huge endorsement of the personalised, experience led service we provide to brides-to-be, and how much that service is appreciated.
“The fact that feedback from clients plays a major part of the selection process demonstrates that we got our approach right when we established Dotty more than 10 years ago, and that we’ve stayed true to our vision.
“We were very clear that we were moving as far away from the stereotypical experience of wedding dress shopping as possible, with a focus on making it a truly memorable and unforgettable experience for brides to enjoy with family and friends, and one they’ll always look back on fondly.
“Our approach from day one has to been to ensure that brides-to be never feel worried or stressed about wedding dress shopping, and that they feel empowered by a team of highly-trained stylists and experts in body shape that will introduce them to gowns that they never thought they could wear.”
PR and marketing agency Wild PR has made three new hires and has expanded across West and South Yorkshire to support its continued growth and to broaden its service offering across the region and beyond.
The SEO-driven PR agency – previously based in Lindley – works with clients in manufacturing, professional services, environment and health sectors including Huddersfield-based Specialist Glass Products.
The new hires include Emily Knight (marketing communications director), Hannah Jackson (social media manager) and Jamie Hewitt (PR and marketing executive).
Emily’s role will focus on overseeing the delivery of integrated strategies, Hannah’s role will specialise in managing social media platforms for clients, and Jamie will support all client projects.
Katrina Cliffe, managing director and founder of Wild PR, said: “Our new team members bring unique skills that will strengthen our ability to deliver exceptional results for our clients.
“Emily’s extensive experience, including her time at agencies such as Twenty Six in Leeds, adds valuable SEO expertise to our team, enhancing our integrated communications offering.”
Originally based in Heritage Exchange in Lindley, the PR and communications specialists have expanded their office locations to include both West and South Yorkshire, with new bases at Hub 26 in Cleckheaton and Landing Pad at Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park.
This strategic move aims to broaden the firm’s client base while also accommodating employee locations.
Katrina added: “We work with clients across the UK and over the past year, we achieved a significant milestone, growing our gross profit by 44% compared to the previous year, reflecting the effectiveness of our strategy.
“Looking ahead, we are targeting a turnover increase of at least 35% this financial year. With these ambitious growth plans, our key appointments and the strategic positioning of our locations will be instrumental in strengthening our offering, enhancing client engagement, and achieving our goals.”
Huddersfield-based Cummins has marked a successful first year in its five-year strategic partnership with the University of Manchester.
The partnership is a collaboration focusing on nurturing future engineering talent and driving the development of sustainable power solutions.
Both students and researchers work together to contribute to the company’s future product development strategy.
As the collaboration marks the end of its first year, developments between Cummins, the university’s student and researcher community have contributed to significant advancements in air handling and hydrogen-based power solutions, helped secure Government funding to develop an advanced digital tool and successfully resolved a complex performance issue in air handling systems.
Laith Al-kazaz, R&T advanced engineering director of components & software (CCS) – turbos at Cummins, said: “The continued success of our collaboration with the University of Manchester’s exceptional students and researchers has provided them with the opportunity to play a crucial role in developing innovative and impactful work to the advancement of sustainable power solution technology.
“As we look to the future, we are eager to deepen our partnership and unearth new developments that will contribute to our research and development strategy for years to come.”
A building and engineering consultancy specialising in sustainable, low energy design is now owned by its employees.
Greengauge, based in Slaithwaite and Bradford upon Avon in Wiltshire, was set up by founding directors Hannah Jones and Toby Cambray.
Hannah and Toby recently took the bold and innovative step of transferring ownership of the company to an Employee Ownership Trust for the benefit of its employees.
This means the employees have a greater say in the business, its strategy and direction as well as the opportunity of financial benefits. John Lewis is probably the best-known example of employee ownership in the UK.
In making this move, Greengauge will enable its employees to have more involvement in how the company works, while also ensuring that the business retains its unique culture and ethos into the future.
Established in 2010 from a houseboat on the River Avon in Wiltshire, Greengauge has grown into one of the UK’s leading building engineering consultancies working on award-winning sustainable projects and has 16 staff and two offices.
Reflecting this growth, Greengauge now has an office in Slaithwaite, as well as in Wiltshire.
Greengauge has a national reputation in supporting Passivhaus projects, from design to certification, including the Stirling Prize winning Goldsmith Street project in Norwich.
The firm is currently working on Passivhaus projects for Oxford University and York and Fife councils, amongst many more.
Managing director Hannah said: “This is an exciting next step in Greengauge’s journey, ensuring that staff will be integral to the company’s decision-making and benefit from any profits.
“Starting 14 years ago from a houseboat, we have grown exponentially, with our portfolio of services now ranging from MEP design, Passivhaus and AECB design through to certification along with more specialist hygrothermal risk analysis and complex 3D thermal bridge modelling.”
The transfer to an Employee-Owned Trust was supported by Jeremy Kirk of SouthWestFD, which provides financial management and strategic input to Greengauge, along with the legal team of South-West firm Stephens Scown, led by Gavin Poole, and the Cornwall-based firm Forth Accountancy, led by Claire Forth.
