MEMBER NEWS IN BRIEF


National agency boosts profile with regional


division A PR and communications agency is marking ten successful years in business with the launch of a new division focused solely on the East Midlands region. London PR, based in


Nottingham’s Creative Quarter, has serviced clients across the UK since 2007. Clients are regularly featured


by national newspapers and magazines as well as on TV programmes such as The One Show and BBC Breakfast. Now it has launched


NottsPR.com to cater exclusively for clients in the East Midlands. It’s hoped that the move will lead to the creation of at least four new jobs during 2017. Founder Steve McComish


(pictured) has been named as one of the 100 most influential people in UK public relations by trade bible PR Week – the only Nottingham-based PR professional to receive the accolade. He said: “Until now we’ve


maintained something of a low profile in our home city. But to mark ten years we decided it was time to give something back to Nottingham. With the launch of NottsPR.com we are making available our national expertise and industry contacts to local businesses.”


Accountancy firm named


among country’s best Midlands accountancy firm PKF Cooper Parry has been named among the top 100 Best Companies to work for in the UK. The firm was ranked 32nd in


the medium-sized business category. PKF Cooper Parry also achieved a 3 Star Accreditation – the highest that can be awarded. It’s the second year PKF


Cooper Parry has been included in the ‘Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For’ list. Last year it was the only accountancy practice named in the small company category. Ade Cheatham, Chief


Executive of PKF Cooper Parry, said: “Being named in the Sunday Times Best 100 Companies to Work For list is a fantastic achievement for everyone at the firm. The fact we have gone from 91st position in the small companies category to 32nd in the medium sized is testament that we are maintaining our culture during a time of change and growth for the business.”


6 business network April 2017


Twiggs contributes to new health facility


Industrial, engineering and plumbing supplier Twiggs, of Matlock has supplied tools and equipment for the construction of a new health facility in Tristan da Cunha, the most remotely inhabited island in the world. Lying 2,400km west of Cape Town in the South


Atlantic, and with a population of just 280, this is a unique project. Galliford Try International, part of the FTSE 250


company, was appointed to construct a new health facility for the island’s residents and as long-time


customers of Twiggs, Galliford Try sourced equipment from the Matlock family firm to ship to their team on the island. Groundwork started in November last year and the project is scheduled to be complete in June. John Hammerton, Operations Director at Galliford


Try International, said: “Twiggs was selected as it is a dependable supplier which provides a consistent and reliable service which is essential when selecting equipment for a team who will be working on the most remote inhabited island in the world.”


Derby firm acquired by leading national brokers


Derby-based Insurance Broker Bell & Co has joined the Aston Scott Group following acquisition. Aston Scott is one of the largest independent brokers in the UK, and like Bell & Co, is one of a small percentage of intermediaries to have achieved Chartered Insurance Broker status. The Bell & Co brand is to be


retained, the Board of Directors will remain to run the company and Derby will become a ‘Midlands hub’ for Aston Scott to add further acquisitions. Aston Scott also has another office in the county, based in Chesterfield. This was acquired in 2015. Together, the businesses believe


they will be Derbyshire’s ‘go to’ commercial insurance broker. Managing Director of Bell & Co,


Richard Salt said: “In an era where scale and quality means so much to our insurer suppliers, this is great news for our existing and new customers and growing team. We are really excited that Aston Scott are backing us and our staff with ambitious growth plans. “Derby has, in my view, needed a


broker of this scale for some time. It is what we have been aspiring to and we are proud to achieve this through everyone’s hard work and


(L-R): Helen Kinross, David Elliott, Richard Salt, Steve Thomas, Margaret Paddison


‘The two businesses have many common positive features’


now Aston Scott's support. We have been talking to them and building foundations over the course of the last year and we look forward to becoming part of a larger independent broking group. “Following our move to great


new offices at the 3aaa County Ground this is a tremendous time for Bell & Co.” Peter Blanc, Group CEO of Aston


Scott, said: “We are delighted to welcome Richard, Helen, David and all the team from Bell & Co to the Aston Scott family. “The two businesses have many


common positive features. We look forward to supporting Bell & Co with their expansion plans in the region.”


The facility under construction on Tristan da Cunha


Photo courtesy of www.tristandc.com (Barry Davies)


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60