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.
With long waiting lists for children needing support with their mental health, Timeout Children’s Homes is extending some of its services to the local community.
Dr Nadia Khurram, clinical lead at the Ripponden-based company, said: “Statistics relating to the number of children waiting for mental health support in the UK are escalating, and according to NHS Digital statistics, in 2023, approximately 1 in 5 children and young people aged 8 to 25 years had a probable mental health disorder.
“Whilst our primary role is looking after the children in our care, we have now developed a team to cover all aspects of mental health provision, including clinical psychology; art therapy; play therapy; speech/language and occupational therapy and psychiatry.
“We look after some of the most vulnerable children in the country, so it was important that we could provide therapeutic services.
“With waiting lists for mental health assessments in the NHS taking months to come through, we want to do our part in helping to support local children too.
“We have therefore developed a service open to the community called Mind-U, which can be accessed online through our website.
“We use a range of different therapeutic approaches, as children all respond in different ways, so from talking to art or through play.
“From an initial 15-minute chat, we can then arrange a formal assessment. Referrals can be made by GP and healthcare services, schools, social workers or any mental health services.
“Our goal is to support children outside of the care sector, to help them to access the support they need, to also prevent many needing to come into care longer term.”
Huddersfield-based global supply chain and logistics consultancy SCALA has appointed Adam Coventry as executive director, in a move that enhances the business’s expertise in warehouse design, optimisation and automation.
Adam brings 30 years of experience in warehousing and supply chain leadership. His most recent role was director of warehousing for Boots UK, where he oversaw a £40m automation investment into the e-commerce supply chain, as well as having responsibility for numerous smaller warehouse automation projects.
At SCALA, Adam will leverage his experience in growing and transforming e-commerce and retail warehouse operations.
In addition to serving on SCALA’s Executive Board, he will oversee a range of consulting projects, assisting clients with their warehouse design and optimisation requirements, with a strong focus on automation and robotics.
Adam said: “I’m looking forward to helping SCALA’s clients navigate the changes taking place in this industry when it comes to automation and optimisation.
“It’s a fast-paced and exciting world to be a part of right now.”
John Perry, chief executive at SCALA, said: “The world of warehousing is evolving faster than ever, and advancements like automation, robotics and AI are central to its progress.
“Adam brings considerable experience from his time at Boots to support our clients in navigating the years to come and will play an integral part in our strategy over the coming years.”
A group of admin apprentices at Huddersfield-based National Business College went the extra mile on a fundraising walk.
The group took part in an eight-mile walk along the picturesque Huddersfield Narrow Canal.
The walk started under clear skies and sunshine but ended in a heavy downpour. The walkers completed the last two miles soaking wet but in good spirits.
Thanks to the generosity of friends, family and colleagues, the group has raised an impressive £1,335 for the Huddersfield-based Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice.
Hospice CEO Gareth Pierce said: “Wow! That’s incredible – thank you so much for your support!”
The apprentices hope their efforts will inspire others to get involved and support local charities making a difference in the community.
Howarths, the people consultancy specialising in legal, safety and growth services, has announced the promotion of Anna Nelson to senior employment law advisor.
Having worked with the company for the last five years, Anna will now head up the team of employment law advisors and solicitors at the practice.
The new role will see her working to ensure the growth and progress of the department, while also advising clients on employment law matters.
Anna said: “I have been with Howarths for almost five years now and in that time I’ve seen the business go from strength to strength. I’ve loved the journey so far and I’m excited to be part of the next chapter.”
Chief legal officer Charlotte Geesin said: “I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate Anna on a promotion very much deserved. We know that she will be a great leader and look forward to supporting her in her new role.”
Postgraduate students on the University of Huddersfield’s Masters’ courses in the Business School have been gaining valuable experience of the business world through a Student Consultancy Project.
More than 80 students took part in the module this time, which provides them the opportunity to consult with a real business on a real business problem.
A total of 17 clients from 16 organisations were involved, and the students presented their findings to their business client.
They were able to showcase their research, insights and recommendations to support business growth and development, working with a range of businesses in the local area.
The Student Consultancy Project provides valuable experience for postgraduate students as a dissertation module equivalent for students on one of the University’s Business MSc programmes, including such subject areas as Accounting and Finance, Management, as well as Marketing and Logistics.
They were able to apply theory learned in the classroom to a real-world challenge, while also developing their creativity and professional skills.
Gemma Bend, academic module lead on the Student Consultancy Project, said: “The benefits of the programme are that it allows students to work with real businesses with real challenges and some of the core issues that a business might be faced with.
“They are able to put into practice what they’re learning from their academic studies, and they can apply it to a real business.
“It means that they can add something new to their CV and create networks with those businesses as well, which is quite different from an individual research-based project.
“There are also some opportunities for students to really continue working with the clients and it allows them to see the benefit and the importance of networking.”
A lawyer at Ramsdens has achieved the highest accreditation for lawyers dealing with Health and Welfare cases within the Court of Protection.
Hanna Whitehead, solicitor associate at Ramsdens, has gained membership to the Law Society’s Mental Capacity Accreditation Scheme as an Accredited Legal Representative (ALR).
She is the second member of the Ramsdens firm to achieve the accreditation. Earlier this year, Jill McCurdy also gained membership to the scheme as an ALR.
As a Court of Protection Health and Welfare specialist, Hanna represents individuals and family members where the relevant individual lacks mental capacity to make decisions about various aspects of their lives. This includes where they live, the care they should receive and the contact they have with others.
Hanna specialises in a variety of subject areas such as disputes relating to care arrangements, residence, and contact, as well as medical treatment, consent and best interests decisions.
Hanna has post-graduate degrees in Mental Health Law and Biotechnology Law and is currently working on a PHD.
Hanna said: “This is a fantastic milestone in my career and for Ramsdens. We are building a team of excellence.
“Being supported to achieve accreditations like this only furthers our ability to bring the very best care and support to our clients across Yorkshire.”
Natalie Lang, partner and head of court of protection at Ramsdens Solicitors, said: “We’re committed to supporting the professional development of our team and Hanna’s accreditation is a standout example of this.
“We now have two Ramsdens solicitors who have achieved this accreditation, which is testament to the hard work and dedication of our team and reflective of our quality offering across Yorkshire.”
