A group of Further Education (FE) Colleges that represents almost 60,000 learners is launching a campaign across the South-East Midlands to help bridge the skills gap.The group, known as Colleges of the South-East Midlands comprises Bedford, Barnfield, Milton Keynes, Moulton and Northampton colleges. The group collectively engages with 8,500 employers already, but says thousands more companies just don’t know about the help on offer to recruit new staff or retrain existing employees.Chief Executive of The Bedford College Group, Yiannis Koursis OBE, says, “We are a catalyst, igniting the region’s potential to thrive and transforming it into a dynamic powerhouse of...

05 March, 2024

A youth-led project called NNcre8 is now underway in the Queensway area of Wellingborough.This year-long project, a collaboration between Groundwork Northamptonshire, Made with Many and Greatwell Homes, includes a packed programme of creative sessions, workshops, detached youth work and celebration events. This project is all about engaging with young people to explore new ideas and interests, whilst also offering youth work support when it is needed.A group of youth workers and creative leaders are now be based on Queensway two evenings a week – meeting young people, learning about their experiences in the neighbourhood and working together to improve services...

04 March, 2024

The Inspirational Women’s Award judges have shortlisted 8 women for the two categories, Community and Business. This year there was over 80 nominations submitted.The winners will be announced at the International Women’s Day event taking place at the Northampton Guildhall between 11am and 3pm.Organised by the Women’s Forum at West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) the awards publicly recognise and promote women who inspire, impacting the lives of others in their community or workplace.Community award shortlistAnne ThompsonAnne is a dedicated member of the Deanshanger community, serving as a Parish Councillor and a founding member of the Good Neighbours scheme. The creation of...

04 March, 2024

Families in Northampton have been invited to help a team of ‘Doggie Detectives’ solve the mystery of the Easter Bunny’s missing friends in an augmented reality trail around the town centre.The trail, organised by Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) and delivered by High Street Safari, will run from Monday 11th March until Monday 1st April – giving families free entertainment during the school holidays.All those taking part can simply use their phone to scan a QR code from posters displayed in the windows of 10 town centre businesses. An augmented reality image will then appear on screen, bringing...

04 March, 2024

Visitors to Northampton Town Centre can now access the revitalised paving at Market Square as the section connecting Abington Street to the Grosvenor Centre opened on Monday, 4 March.The cobbles used as part of the transformation of Northampton’s historic market square have been retained from the previous paving where possible, and sympathetically restored to reuse as part of the regenerated space.Councillor Daniel Lister, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Town Centre Regeneration and Growth at West Northamptonshire Council said:“Visitors to Northampton Town Centre can now access the Grosvenor Centre from Abington Street alongside Market Walk as this section of completed paving...

04 March, 2024

Through Northamptonshire Community Foundation’s Creative Climate Action Fund, two Northamptonshire-based organisations were awarded more than £47,000 each for creative projects that build awareness around climate change and encourage local residents to make behavioural changes to protect the environment.Climate Change is a global issue; the Office for National Statistics’ Opinions and Lifestyle Survey 2022 revealed three in four adults reported feeling worried about climate change, and the United Nations are working to tackle climate issues through Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action. Work funded by the Creative Climate Action Fund will encourage participants to think global and act local in their...

04 March, 2024

North Northamptonshire Council have launched the latest round of a grant scheme to help local businesses to increase energy efficiency, move to a lower carbon economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.Small or medium sized businesses can now apply for grants up to £5,000 towards 50% of project costs, with the remaining amount to be match funded by the business.The funding can be used for:lighting and lighting controls heating and heating controls insulation energy efficient machinery and equipment (e.g. air compressors) solar panels heat pumps biomass boilers energy storage building energy management systemsCllr David Brackenbury, the council’s Executive Member for Growth...

01 March, 2024

Companies looking to base their business in an innovative and creative environment have the chance to hire newly available office space at Vulcan Works.The purpose-built serviced workspace in Northampton’s Cultural Quarter has proved so popular since opening in February 2023, that all offices in the main Vulcan Works building on Guildhall Road have now been snapped up by local businesses.A second building, the four-storey St John’s Building on Fetter Street, is now being marketed to potential tenants by the Vulcan Works team.The St John’s Building houses 32 offices, ranging in size from 209 square feet to 405 square feet, and...

29 February, 2024

A record number of teams have signed up for a charity challenge to raise funds for eight charities from across Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire.The Apprentice-style fundraising challenge, organised by prominent legal firm Franklins Solicitors LLP, has a total of 42 teams taking part – the highest number since the challenge first launched in 2018 and up by 17 from last year’s 25 teams.The 2024 challenge got underway on Tuesday 20 February and teams have already started their fundraising efforts with initiatives ranging from doughnut sales to raffles, dress down days, netwalks and office swear boxes.The Apprentice-style fundraising challenge sees each...

28 February, 2024

A CHARITY has made an appeal for businesses to help support a fundraising push for new mini-bus.SERVE has launched a campaign for a second-hand bus – which is needed urgently – and for a brand new mini-bus to keep its services moving.CEO Jess Slater said: “SERVE is a crucial part of the community with many services aimed helping people to live independently.“Much of that community work relies on reliable and accessible transport for our service users, taking people to medical appointments, day trips and social activities - crucial for so many people.“That is why we are appealing for help in...

27 February, 2024

Specialist recruitment agency and online training provider, Simon Acres Group Limited, encourages an inclusive workforce within the KBB and construction industries. To support this, Northamptonshire based Simon Acres Group has released a Movers & Shakers video that focuses on the benefits of diversity within the workplace.In the video, Simon Acres interviews I. Stephanie Boyce, former president of the Law Society of England and Wales, and Janie Frampton OBE, a former professional football referee. Stephanie made history in March 2021 when she became the sixth female and the first person of colour to become president of the Law Society of England...

27 February, 2024