Business

At a time when many companies are having to cut back on personnel, a home improvement company in Wellingborough is investing in several new roles – despite the current uncertain climate. Having closed temporarily at the end of March, T&K Home Improvements is experiencing encouraging increases in sales and customer demand since reopening operations in July, doubling its size. As a result, the company is looking to hire lots more new staff to help with the growth, and Adrian Timbers, T&K’s Sales and Marketing Manager, said: “At a hugely challenging time for jobs in and around Northamptonshire, it’s really encouraging that we can help those in the area looking for a job when it’s so tough out there. People should not necessarily have to move or commute to work, and we’re delighted to be able to offer some excellent opportunities. “Strengthening our team with the right people, at this critical..

Businesses from across the UK are being urged to reveal the challenges they expect to face post-Covid 19 in a new survey. Human resources experts HR Solutions, of Kettering, has teamed up with Deloitte Propel to create the survey, which aims to question businesses about the challenges they expect to face over the next 12 months as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. Once completed, the two firms plan to release the results along with expert insights to help support businesses as they negotiate the changing economic landscape. Chief executive of HR Solutions, Greg Guilford, said: “These are unprecedented times and it is vital that we get a comprehensive picture of the challenges facing small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) to help them prepare for and cope with what lies ahead in the next 12 months and beyond. “The survey is quick and easy to complete and will enable us to..

T&K Home Improvements has been awarded a Which? Trusted Traders Certificate of Distinction for the second year in a row. The award recognises Which?’s best performing traders and T&K’s Sales and Marketing Manager Adrian Timbers said: “We are delighted to receive a Which? Trusted Traders Certificate of Distinction for the second year running.  “It is only given to a select few traders if they meet certain criteria, perform to the highest standards and go the extra mile – and we are proud to be one of them.” The Wellingborough-based T&K, which was also voted Retail Business of the Year for 2019, has been meeting the challenges of the coronavirus lockdown head-on to help customers with their home improvement needs. Staff have been on hand with any advice, taking orders remotely, providing flexible funding, and an option to delay installation if required. “Our team have gone above and beyond for our..

Here at Pulse Magazines we are proud to announce a new partnership which is set to help businesses across Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire not just survive but also strive to thrive during these challenging times. We are now working with Northampton based PR firm Pilkington Communications to ensure our customers get more than ever before for their budgets. Kerry Lewis, editor of Pulse Magazines, said: “We are excited about resuming our printed magazines from August and proud to have continued promoting and supporting businesses even during lockdown. We appreciate that budgets are tight and that the challenges have never been greater, but also know that it is more important than ever for organisations to promote themselves, their products, services, trading details and so much more. “For this reason, we have partnered with Jessica and her team at Pilkington Communications who are working with us to ensure our customers’ printed and online..

The Coronavirus has been more disruptive to British life than anything since the Second World War. How quickly there is a return to normal or – an expression I really cannot abide, but which is used a great deal – a ‘new normal’ is very hard to predict. Newspapers, magazine and social media are full of columnists and opinion writers sharing their predictions of what the future holds. Much of it is unreliable, some outright nonsense. The Roman poet Horace had a very different perspective; “Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero,” he wrote (“Seize the day, put no trust in the future”). In other words, try not to waste time worrying about the future (though it is easier said than done, even in Latin!) and concentrate on what needs to be done today. I have spent the last five months speaking and listening extensively to Northampton businesses, business groups, charities..

A Northamptonshire businesswoman has been named as a regional finalist in the Great British Entrepreneur Awards 2020. Suzy Sanders, founder of Alchemy Virtual Assistance - which provides remote admin and PA support to business owners and small enterprises - beat off competition from over 2,600 entrepreneurs UK-wide to become one of four contenders in the finals of the Midlands Family Business Entrepreneur category. During the judging, Suzy - who set up her virtual assistant company she now runs with her husband Paul in 2016 - was recognised for her clear entrepreneurial spirit, her innovation to turn the company into a successful franchise, the supportive, nurturing approach she takes to business development, and her recent self-published book. “Family is at the heart of everything we do and with all the challenges and heartache we’ve had in 2020, this achievement definitely feels even more poignant,” said Suzy. “I’m absolutely over the moon..

A charity is distributing food vouchers to help homeless people survive during the Coronavirus pandemic. Corby Nightlight works to relieve poverty among rough sleepers and homeless adults in Corby and the surrounding area. Corby Nightlight chairman Diane Boyd said: “Our catering van is closed because we can’t operate it in line with social distancing so we’re providing Amazon and supermarket vouchers instead. This is vital because people are relying on these vouchers.” One of the first to help was total waste management company, Axil Integrated Services. The firm, who operate across the whole of the UK and have their head office in Corby, has provided £2,000 of Asda vouchers, with support from their holding company Regen. Axil Integrated Services managing director Edward Pigg said: “We were aware of Corby Nightlight and the fantastic work they do to provide food provisions for the homeless community and those experiencing poverty, including families..

A car and van leasing firm in Northampton has marked its eighth anniversary with a major office refurbishment. The £18,000 refurbishment of Silverstone Fleet Management’s converted barn premises in Preston Deanery saw the creation of a meeting room and four new workstations, as well as all new furniture and a bespoke, branded glass partition wall. The project, which was carried out by fellow Northampton-based firm acs Office Solutions, took four months to complete and created much-needed workspace for Silverstone Fleet Management’s growing team. Other local companies - Arnold Plastics and Ashby Computers - also supported the refurb by supplying the branded glass and IT equipment. Scott Norville, Managing Director of Silverstone Fleet Management, said: "Just before the Coronavirus pandemic, we had decided to grow our sales team and were acutely aware that we needed to reconfigure the office to create some more space to accommodate these and allow for any..

A Northamptonshire-based Virtual Assistant says she is determined to help her clients survive the coronavirus outbreak and grow their businesses. Annette Harris, from Daventry, is Alchemy Virtual Assistance’s (VA) second franchisee, and is committed to provide remote PA and admin services to small businesses from her West Northamptonshire base under the trusted Alchemy brand. With over 30 years’ experience as a personal assistant, and as businesses are being forced to suddenly adopt a remote and virtual approach to their operations – Annette says she is not scared to be launching her Virtual Assistant business during the COVID19 pandemic. “Becoming an Alchemy Virtual Assistant during this challenging time, when lots of organisations are having to change the way they provide their products and run their services remotely has given me even more focus than ever,” said Annette, who is very used to high pressured roles, having worked for chief executive officers,..

Ballyhoo PR, a public relations and copywriting business in Corby, has appointed a new Senior PR Executive. Catherine Bontoft, who has around 20 years of PR and journalism experience, joins the company from Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce, where she managed the organisation’s press office and edited its bi-monthly magazine inbusiness. Prior to that she worked for a PR agency, which specialised in the education sector, and was Assistant News Editor at the Northamptonshire Telegraph. The appointment is the second for Ballyhoo PR, taking the team up to three. Catherine will be supporting company director Emma Speirs and PR Executive Katie Graves in delivering a range of PR, copywriting and social media management services to businesses across the UK. Emma Speirs, Director of Ballyhoo PR, said: “I’m really excited to announce Catherine’s appointment and welcome her to Ballyhoo PR. Catherine is a fantastic writer with a wealth of experience that will..

Borough and District Councils across Northamptonshire have started the process of rolling out additional business rates support being provided by Government during the Coronavirus outbreak. Businesses are currently experiencing a range of significant and unprecedented pressures due to the Coronavirus pandemic and in response the Government has made available a number of financial and support packages to help during these difficult times. The best source of information to find out about all packages on offer is through the Government Business Support website, found here -https://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support/. Retail business rate discount has been increased to 100 per cent for the 2020-21 financial year and now includes the leisure and hospitality sector, and pre-school nurseries. Businesses need to do nothing, as this will be automatically applied and they will not be billed for next year’s amount. Businesses in the retail, leisure and hospitality receiving a bill indicating how much they owe next year..