A natural eye for detail and father in the trades unsurprisingly led Bhangals Construction Consultants’ estimating manager Harrison Baxter quite neatly into a career in construction.The 22-year-old is the third member of the team to feature in the company’s current Build A Career at Bhangals campaign, which celebrates opportunities in the construction sector.Harrison studied product design at A-Level which led him to further research and a greater understanding of the processes used in the construction industry, the materials used and their properties.He said: “My natural eye for detail and understanding of technical elements led me into a fitting career as...

18 October, 2023

A public exhibition has been organised by the Hanwood Park team - designed to throw a spotlight on Kettering's largest development.Hanwood Park, at the eastern edge of Kettering in Barton Seagrave , is already home to 3,000 residents and, when completed, will be home to around 15,000.October’s Hanwood Park Public Exhibition, set to take place at Hayfield Cross Church of England School, is open to everyone. Visitors will be able to meet the team, find out about the development’s progress and plans and ask questions, make suggestions, view the Masterplan and find out about potential and planned community facilities.There will...

17 October, 2023

A popular Northamptonshire estate agent is celebrating its dedicated workforce this month as four of the team mark anniversaries.Autumn appears to be a growth period for Belvoir Corby and Kettering, who employed six new members of staff last year.Lettings consultant Alisha Vilette is celebrating two years in the George Street, Corby office. Mother-of-one Alisha was raised in Corby and has fantastic local knowledge. She also has extensive experience in the industry, having previously worked at an estate agency in Melton Mowbray.A typical day for Alisha will see her deal with enquiries about rental properties and arrange viewings. She also regularly...

17 October, 2023

Business meetings often require individuals to present their ideas, strategies, or projects to an audience. However, the mere thought of speaking in front of others can evoke nerves and anxiety. It's a common challenge, but the good news is that with proper preparation and mindset, you can overcome these nerves and deliver a confident and impactful presentation. Here are some effective strategies to help you conquer nervousness when presenting at a business meeting. 1. Preparation is Key: One of the most effective ways to combat nerves is thorough preparation. Familiarise yourself with the content of your presentation to the point where you...

16 October, 2023

Retail trade association Bira said a recent guide released by the The International Longevity Centre (ILC) shows important steps shopkeepers must take to make their stores more accessible for the elderly.The British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA), which works with over 6,000 independent businesses of all sizes across the UK, praised the International Longevity Centre (ILC) for the recent release of their informative guides designed to promote a healthier and more inclusive retail environment.Bira said the new resources were 'invaluable tools' for retailers striving to enhance the shopping experience for older customers and individuals with varying needs.The comprehensive series of five guides have been designed...

16 October, 2023

The Business & IP Centre Northamptonshire are launching a programme of business support in Northamptonshire. Build Your Business is a new programme aimed at small businesses, entrepreneurs and anyone thinking of starting their own business. The programme consists of:1:1s webinars workshops access to specialist business databases mentoring networking start-up grants of up to £2,000​ Start-up business grants Part of the Build Your Business programme is the opportunity to apply for a grant. Successful applicants will receive a £2,000 grant for business expenses and ongoing support from the BIPC Northamptonshire team. The eligibility criteria and terms and conditions include:The business must be registered in...

15 October, 2023

A haunted house-style spooktacular adventure is returning to Chester House Estate in October – and this year there will be more boo-tiful, bone-chilling, creepy crawly themed fun than ever before.Rushden-based Halloween House Entertainment is returning to the Northamptonshire Estate next month, having designed two haunted Walkthroughs for Halloween visitors – one for toddlers and a second for those who love a little spookalicious, spine-tingling fun.Katriona Richardson, who runs Halloween House Entertainment alongside her husband Steve, said: “Our haunted house-style Walkthrough was a huge hit at Chester House Estate last year, so this year we are going even bigger and better....

15 October, 2023

North Northamptonshire Council is getting ready for harsher weather conditions as Kier Transportation, the council’s highways provider, has its fleet of gritters ready to take on precautionary routes. Last year the authority invited school pupils and residents to help name the fleet with ‘Sir Grit A lot’, ‘Grumpy Gritter’ and ‘Wicky Gritty’ being just some of the trucks joining the ranks for the winter season.The gritting season runs from mid-October to mid-April next year with gritters covering 821 miles (1,841km) of the councils’ road network on precautionary routes - which is the equivalent of driving from Northamptonshire to Dundee and back.In...

13 October, 2023

The first inspection of the Youth Offending Service (YOS) since the inception of Northamptonshire Children’s Trust (NCT) and the establishment of the two unitary councils, North Northamptonshire (NNC) and West Northamptonshire (WNC) has found that the service is ‘good’.  The quality of resettlement policy and provision was also inspected, which was separately rated as ‘Outstanding’.Inspectors found that ‘delivery of work with children was of a consistently high standard’ which in turn meant that there are ‘positive working relationships with the children’ and they ‘positively engaged with the YOS and could access appropriate services to support them.’Children and young people were...

13 October, 2023

West Northamptonshire’s fleet of gritters will be deployed this week to prepare the roads for winter, with the Met Office forecasting a cold snap is on its way.With a sharp decline in temperature across Northamptonshire expected towards the end of October, precautionary gritting routes are now underway. West Northamptonshire Council’s highways provider, Kier is set to grit over 1,100 miles of the road network - the equivalent of driving from here to Venice.West Northamptonshire has a stockpile of over 5,500 tonnes of salt ready to use on public roads and foot paths over the winter months. More than 880 grit...

13 October, 2023

Retail trade association Bira has called for for the speedy reopening of the former Wilko shops that closed following the company's recent administration. The British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA), which works with over 6,000 independent businesses of all sizes across the UK, said they hoped to see the 280 empty shops left behind after the closure of Wilko's are soon to be reopened and revitalised.Wilko entered administration at the beginning of August, resulting in over 400 store closures and the loss of 12,500 jobs.Since the administration, several major retailers have acquired former Wilko sites, signaling a positive development for high streets across the...

13 October, 2023