We love it when businesses send us their good news and here’s our latest good news round-up. Awards, expansion, new contracts or new jobs, if you’ve got some good news you want to share please email the editor, Martin Shaw, on martin@huddersfieldhub.co.uk.
Businesses and workplaces have joined in the fundraising to send seven-year-old Eden Smith to New York for life-saving cancer treatment.
Eden, of Wooldale, is currently undergoing treatment after being diagnosed with the aggressive childhood cancer neuroblastoma.
She is now cancer-free but her family need to raise around £340,000 to send her to the States for pioneering Bivalent Vaccine treatment which would help prevent the cancer from coming back.
The whole district turned pink for Eden’s birthday and staff and residents at Aden View Care Home in Primrose Hill had a pink party day.
READ MORE: Amazing pictures from an emotional day as Eden Smith returned to school on her seventh birthday
The home raised an amazing £1,100. Over £280 was donated by staff and residents and the remainder came from various games, including a raffle and tombola, organised by Michelle Bevan, mother of the care home’s manager.
Cooks Julie Sykes and Lynn Preston prepared an array of party food, including a pink birthday cake.
Home manager Kim Mckay said: “It is so important that as much money as possible is raised for Eden’s fight against cancer. Everyone at the care home wanted to do their bit.”
Meanwhile, four Huddersfield-based businesspeople (pictured above) have come together to support Eden too.
The group includes Gavin Pearson, founder of Vita C; Sandro Bevilacqua, owner of Da Sandro Restaurant; Craig Waddington, owner of Easy Bathrooms and Steve Laidlaw, owner of Distinctive Chesterfields. They have each made generous donations of £500-£1,000 to Eden’s fundraiser.
Gavin said: “This treatment will be literally life changing for Eden and her family. Lots of people are doing amazing things to support them.”
Elsewhere, Kirklees Council is backing business by sponsoring the New Business of the Year Award at this year’s Examiner Business Awards on Thursday March 24.
The award will be presented by David Shepherd, Kirklees Council’s strategic director for growth and regeneration. The award recognises businesses who started trading within the last three years, and are already achieving great success.
The nominees for the award are Huddersfield-based Beehive Candle Company and Pretty in Paper by B, and Dewsbury-based XYZ Law.
The council’s sponsorship of this award reflects the importance of new businesses to the local economy.
A spokesman said: “Starting a new business requires a huge amount of ingenuity and hard work and we are pleased to be able to showcase the very best examples of this through our support for this award.
“The last two years have had a profound effect on business and the economy, not just in Kirklees but nationally and overseas.
“Despite the many negative impacts of the pandemic, businesses and their owners have shown incredible resilience – and a large number of people have taken the bold step of starting their own business.
“Kirklees Council understands that starting a new business can be challenging – particularly in the first few years of trading.
“This is why the council offers a range of support for new businesses and entrepreneurs, as well as acting as a gateway to support from the public sector (including the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership), universities, private and third sector organisations (such as banks, accountants, incubators and accelerators).
“The council’s expert business advisors help entrepreneurs navigate the varied – and often complex – wealth of support available, and can work with each business on an individual basis to provide access to fully-funded programmes offering a range of support including practical business advice, coaching, mentoring, help with recruitment, networking events, academic support, incubation workspaces, finance and funding.”
READ MORE: How Bethan Aspland is helping people with her company Pretty in Paper by B
Council leader Shabir Pandor, also Cabinet member for business, said: “As a council, we’re proud to provide a range of expert services and invaluable connections to support Kirklees’ up-and-coming entrepreneurs.
“We want to help build successful businesses which not only survive but thrive for years to come. That’s how we can bring prosperity and opportunities for residents.
“Bouncing back from the pandemic and getting growth into our economy is a big priority for Kirklees. That’s why we’re working on new, better ways to support Kirklees start-ups.
“We hope this support will further strengthen the local economy, by helping more dedicated entrepreneurs to make their dreams a reality.”
Huddersfield-based independent training provider National Business College (NBC) has been rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted.
Ofsted inspects institutions providing education and skills for learners of all ages to ensure that they are delivering training which meets the high standards set by the Government.
NBC has been based on Greenhead Road in Huddersfield for 35 years and delivers business-related apprenticeships across the district.
The Ofsted report said: “Leaders have developed excellent partnerships with local employers. They match their curriculum offer to the skills needs of the local area very effectively.
“Leaders have focused on specific sectors, such as training staff who work in healthcare centres, doctors’ surgeries and the local council.
“More recently, they have extended their offer to meet the needs of local estate agents. Leaders ensure that apprentices gain the skills needed to rapidly become better at their jobs.”
Ofsted also praised NBC for a curriculum that meets the needs of apprentices – including those with special educational needs or disabilities – and employers. All safeguarding arrangements were commended as effective.
Keely Carleton, operations manager at NBC, said: “We are delighted to have been graded ‘Good’ by Ofsted and we will continue to build on our strengths to provide local businesses with the support they need to develop their workforce through apprenticeships.”
Bus firm Transdev, which has a depot in Waterloo, made a donation of 10p for every customer journey on Sunday March 20 to the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund.
The company pledged support for the Disasters Emergency Committee which represents 15 leading UK aid charities.
Transdev CEO Alex Hornby said: “Like everyone, we have all been saddened by the appalling events in Ukraine and the dreadful impact this has had on people who have had to flee the country.
“All of us at Transdev at our locations right across the north of England felt compelled to show our support.
“We are proud to employ a number of Ukrainian families as part of our own team here in the north and give our full support to international Transdev colleagues aiding the humanitarian effort elsewhere in Europe.”
