A dedicated team from the UK’s largest distributor of building materials, Travis Perkins plc, with head offices in Northampton, has completed a walking challenge in aid of Cynthia Spencer Hospice, raising more than £5,600 – the equivalent to more than 10 days of patient care.Covering 41 miles on the picturesque Ivanhoe Way in 14 hours, 21 team members endured rain, sun, mud, blisters, aches and niggles to accomplish the huge challenge, in some of Leicestershire’s best countryside.“At Travis Perkins plc, our purpose is to help build better communities, and we take great pride in making positive change happen. As one...

24 June, 2024

A town centre hotel that has undergone a seven-figure investment programme has underlined its commitment to Northampton by pledging to support local suppliers wherever possible.The Mercure Hotel in Silver Street becomes the town centre’s first four-star hotel as a result of the upgrade, which has seen all 146 bedrooms given a fresh new look as well as a wide-ranging overhaul of public spaces such as the lobby, reception and bar areas.The hotel will be operated under a franchise agreement and the extensive renovation has seen a real focus on the ‘market town’ heritage of Northampton, celebrating both the history and...

21 June, 2024

Local fine jewellers Michael Jones Jeweller have renewed their sponsorship agreement with Northampton’s Royal & Derngate, increasing their support for the theatre’s programme of home-produced and co-produced drama.Michael Jones Jeweller have a longstanding relationship with the theatre, having been the primary sponsor of Royal & Derngate’s Made in Northampton productions for the last seven years, as well as being an established Business Club partner.These Made in Northampton shows have brought the theatre national recognition, with recent productions such as The Pope premiering at Royal & Derngate in 2019, then subsequently going on to inspire a major film. It returned once...

20 June, 2024

A Northamptonshire based organisation is launching a global initiative to help businesses adopt sustainable practices in the face of increasing regulations and public demand for brands to address growing social and environmental threats.The Sustainable Business Alliance (SBA) is working with the University of Northampton Centre for Sustainable Business Practices and two local firms, Be. Partners Ltd and ActNow Consulting to introduce the 'Business Towards Sustainability Programme'.The programme will provide structured tools, training and support to help organisations to build and implement simple strategies and action plans so that they can take action where it is needed most.Speaking about the programme,...

20 June, 2024

Ballyhoo PR, a public relations and copywriting business in Lamport, has added a new Senior PR and Content Executive to its team.Linda McKeown joins Ballyhoo PR from Weetabix and brings with her more than 25 years of magazine journalism and communications experience accumulated in a wide range of industries including beauty, food and drink, manufacturing and property.Career highlights have included working on a campaign with actress Tamzin Outhwaite for Avon and launching Quick Bite, a magazine for the fast food industry, which was stocked in WHSmith and subsequently acquired by another publisher. Most recently, Linda has developed and executed an...

20 June, 2024

A fundraising challenge, organised by prominent legal firm Franklins Solicitors, has set a new record with more than £35,000 raised in this year’s Apprentice-style challenge.Forty teams from across Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes took part in the challenge and raised a total of £35,733 for eight local charities – smashing last year’s total of £20,000. The teams received £50 seed funding from Franklins in February and had three months to turn the £50 into as much money as possible for their chosen charity.An awards ceremony took place on Wednesday 19 June to celebrate the achievements of the teams who used their...

20 June, 2024

Independent IT consultancy and NNBN member, 3RS IT Solutions, has teamed up with fellow members, Ballyhoo PR and Say Something Video, to support in their drive to further raise its profile.Having started out from offices in Wellingborough the company, led by husband-and-wife team, Steve and Leila Souch, have recently opened another office in Leicester, alongside an office space in Nottingham. Their collaboration with local businesses is seen as pivotal to future success, providing an opportunity for further growth.“The collaboration with Ballyhoo PR and Say Something Video is an opportunity for us to continue on our growth plan,” says Leila Souch,...

20 June, 2024

The next generation of aspiring accountants is being given a huge boost by an established accountancy firm in Northamptonshire.Elsby & Co, which is based in Rushden, has launched a comprehensive apprenticeship programme to recruit and develop the brightest new talent in its industry.It guarantees apprentices a structured learning programme, ringfenced learning time, flexible access to courses, support from a dedicated mentor and a recognised qualification at the end of the scheme.Head of Operations Ann Phillips said: “Everyone’s lives have got busier which means it’s harder to study in our own time than it used to be.“Our trainees attend learning and...

20 June, 2024

A NEW look bathroom showroom designed by the team at Bell of Northampton has been unveiled giving customers all the inspiration they need to create the home of their dreams.Exquisite designs from some of the biggest names in bathrooms including Villeroy & Boch, Victoria & Albert, Imperial and Laufen are showcased within their 25,000 sq ft showroom, along with a wide selection of exclusive tiles, luxury taps & showers, stunning baths and accessories.Bell of Northampton’s Bathroom and Tile Manager, Parshin Pourmozafari said: “Beyond a practical and functional space, we are seeing an increasing emphasis on bathrooms being a place of...

19 June, 2024

Today marks the third annual #NNSTARTUP DAY as NNBN celebrates entrepreneurship in Northamptonshire.We have an amazing line up of small business owners all talking about their business journeys, what it's like to run a business, what challenges they have had along the way and giving tips and advice for those starting a business or considering starting a business.The day has been filmed at Vulcan Works, a creative hub in Guildhall Road, Northampton and Poppy Design Studio, a website and graphic design agency in Desborough and without their support, #NNSTARTUP DAY this year would have all been on Zoom!So here is...

19 June, 2024

A popular chain of independent coffee shops has underlined its commitment to its home town by opening a new café in Northampton’s main shopping centre.Bewiched Coffee, owned by former Northampton College student Matt Fountain, opens its latest premises in Grosvenor Shopping Northampton on Friday – relocating from the upper mall to the ground floor next to Michael Jones Jeweller.The larger unit is a show of support for Northampton by the growing company, which previously launched the country’s first independent drive-thru coffee shop in the town and has since opened a network of venues around the Midlands.Mark Mullen, operations manager at...

18 June, 2024