New home for Shire Horse Society National Show for 2016

Image © of Shire Horse Society and the photographer.

The world’s largest gathering of Shire horses will move to a new venue for 2016, it has been announced.

Next year the Shire Horse Society National Show will be held at Bingley Hall in the centre of Staffordshire County Showground.
The move is being made to cater for increasing visitor numbers to the show, who are keen to support the iconic breed which a few decades ago was in danger of dying out.

The National Show, which will be staged on 18^th, 19^th and 20^th March 2016, is expected to attract more than 200 horses from across Europe, as well as visitors from around the globe, and is billed as the largest gathering of Shires seen anywhere in the world.

Shire Horse Society secretary David Ralley-Davies said: “Our National Show has been steadily gaining in popularity again recently and we wanted to ensure that everyone who wants to go gets the chance to attend, hence the decision to move to a bigger and more central venue for 2016.

“Bingley Hall will also provide additional facilities for exhibitors and their horses, such as indoor stabling for the majority of horses being shown.We’re very excited to announce our new indoor venue, and are looking forward to welcoming many new visitors, as well as our loyal followers and our members, to the showground next year.”

The Shire Horse Society, which is based at Rockingham Castle on the Leicestershire/Northamptonshire border, has signed a five-year deal to stage its National Show at Bingley Hall – starting in 2016.

The show, which has been held at a limited number of venues in England over its long history, is believed to be one of the oldest, almost continuous, horse shows in the world, having been held for the first time at the Royal Agricultural Hall in Islington, London, in 1880, when the charity was named the English Cart Horse Society.

It is the flagship event for the Shire Horse Society, which is the only charity dedicated to the protection, promotion and improvement of the Shire horse. Since 1878 the organisation has been working to protect the breed.

“The Shire Horse Society’s National Show is quite a spectacle, and the ideal opportunity for members of the public to see these gentle giants of the horse world in all their glory,” said David Ralley-Davies. “It also gives us the chance to raise awareness of a breed that has a unique and fascinating history and heritage.

“At the same time, it provides us with the opportunity to promote the efforts that are being made to safeguard the breed’s future. We have been running a Save Our Shires campaign to raise awareness about Shires and numbers have steadily increased, thanks to the dedication of a band of enthusiasts, but fewer than 500 new foals are registered every year by the Shire Horse Society, and Shire horses remain an endangered species.”

The show will include a new Friday evening ridden performance, along with a ringside show dinner, which will be followed by two days of competition and classes.It will be the first qualifier of 2016 for the Horse of the Year Show and will feature a range of classes, with horses shown in-hand, ridden and in harness.

Tickets will go on sale later this year via the Shire Horse Society’s website www.shire-horse.org.uk Follow the charity on Facebook or Twitter - https://www.facebook.com/shirehorsesociety and @saveourshires

Press release issued by Nottingham-based PR company Perfect10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Image © of the Shire Horse society and the photographer. Not to be used or reproduced without prior written permission. 

Focus Consultants dives into leisure centre extension scheme

East Midlands-based Focus Consultants has been appointed to project manage a £3 million scheme to refurbish and extend a leisure centre. 

Work is due to get underway this summer on the development at North Herts Leisure Centre in Letchworth and includes a new learner/teaching pool, a café with a view over the pool, dance studio, offices, a ground-sprung sports hall floor, refurbishment of the wet changing areas and more parking.

The aim of the project is to increase the life span of the centre by another 25 years and improve customer services. 

Partner at Focus Consultants, Keith Butler, said: “Focus is very pleased to have been appointed on this scheme, which is the latest in a number of similar developments the team has been involved in. 

“The new extension will not only create extra space, it will also allow the leisure centre to increase its swimming facilities, which is good news for the people of Letchworth and the surrounding area.” 

The refurbishment is being funded by North Hertfordshire District Council and the facilities are managed by a social enterprise, Stevenage Leisure Ltd, which runs the centre on the council’s behalf, and is due to be completed by the spring of 2016. 

It is being project managed by personnel in the Leicester office of Focus, which has its headquarters in Nottingham and also has teams in Holborn, London, and at Boston and Aubourn in Lincolnshire. 

The firm offers a range of services, including funding and economic development, project management, regeneration expertise, energy consultancy and chartered surveying services. 

For more details visit www.focus-consultants.co.uk

Press release issued by Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Croots Farm Shop wins national award with its Bakewell tart

The Bakewell tart produced by Derbyshire-based Croots Farm Shop has been crowned the nation’s best sweet bake in the Great British Food Farm Produce Awards 2015. 

The Duffield farm shop’s home-made Bakewell tart was selected as a winner in the awards run by Great British Food Magazine. 

Owner Steve Croot said: “We were thrilled when our Bakewell tart was chosen as a finalist in the Great British Food Farm Produce Awards. To win the category and to be named as the best sweet bake in a national competition, run by a national food magazine, is just amazing. 

“This is not just great news for Croots Farm Shop - it also flies the flag for one of Derbyshire’s well-known food products. All our Bakewell tarts are made by manager Margaret Robinson and her team, here at the shop, using a recipe that has been in Margaret’s family for generations. We love it, our customers love it and we are delighted to hear that the judges loved it too and have crowned it a real winner.” 

Croots Farm Shop, based at Farnah House Farm, Wirksworth Road, sells more than 50 Bakewell tarts a week, with demand growing since news of the award short listing spread, said Steve. 

Tom Shingler, deputy editor of Great British Food Magazine, said of the awards: “We had a record-breaking 353 entries from 242 companies, making this the biggest awards yet. For us, provenance was a priority. The categories were all very hotly contested, so very well done to all the winning and highly commended producers.” 

Croots Bakewell tart will now feature in the September edition of Great British Food Magazine, on the shelves from 31^st July 2015. 

Croots Farm Shop opened seven years ago and sells a range of home-produced items, including sausages and meat products, pies, ready meals and flavoured oils. 

It has won a wide range of awards for its products, and last year Steve Croot was named as the Derbyshire Food Hero. 

Croots Farm Shop and Shires Eatery employs a 32-strong workforce. 

Croots Farm Shop is open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm (Shires Eatery until 4.30pm) and from 10am to 4pm on Sundays. Croots runs Fresh Fish Thursdays between 9am and 1pm on Thursdays.

For more information visit www.croots.co.uk

Press release issued by Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk 

Search begins for East Midlands fbe Awards winners 2015

Entries are now being invited for an awards scheme that highlights some of the best construction schemes across the East Midlands. 

The East Midlands fbe (Forum for the Built Environment) will be staging its annual awards event on 15^th October 2015 at the City Rooms in Leicester. Around 120 professionals from the construction, development and property sector in the East Midlands are expected to attend the East Midlands fbe’s sixth annual awards ceremony and dinner. 

MC for the evening will be BBC East Midlands political editor John Hess. 

Now the hunt has begun for worthy winners of the awards, which recognise and reward the scheme and the whole team behind it. 

Last year’s overall winner was The King Richard III Visitor Centre in Leicester, which also took the best Non-Residential Award. Best Refurbishment and Regeneration Award went to Castleward in Derby, which is being developed by Compendium Living. St James Gate, Anstey, in Leicestershire, received the Best Residential Award. 

This year the awards will feature the same three categories – Non-Residential, Residential, and Refurbishment and Regeneration. They are free to enter and are open to any schemes in Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire that have been completed between October 2014 and September 2015.  Nominations can be made by anyone involved in the scheme, not just members of the fbe. 

The deadline for nominations is Friday 21^st August 2015. Entries will be judged by a select panel of construction professionals. 

East Midlands fbe regional chairman Jef Todd, development director at civil and structural engineering firm BSP Consulting, said: “Each year it becomes more difficult for the judges to choose the winners, which illustrates the very high standard of development in schemes over many sectors in the East Midlands, and we are looking forward to seeing the nominations that are put forward this year.” 

Tickets and sponsorship opportunities for the event are also now available by visiting http://www.fbeonline.co.uk/east-midlands/events/fbe-east-midlands-chairmans-dinner-and-awards-2015.htm 

The fbe is a national organisation, with branches across the UK and is the longest established networking group for the property, development and construction industries. Initially established in the East Midlands, as well as running the annual awards scheme, the organisation also organises a number of social and other events. It covers Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire. 

For more information about the fbe, the branch and to download a nomination form visit www.fbeonline.co.uk. Details about October’s awards night are in the events section.

Press release issued by Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Contractor J Tomlinson completes multi-million pound redevelopment of Coventry Transport Museum

Construction company J Tomlinson has completed work on a £9.5 million redevelopment of Coventry Transport Museum and Old Grammar School. 

The museum, which houses hundreds of unique exhibits including the world’s fastest cars ThrustSSC and Thrust2, has been completely transformed following a 15-month redevelopment programme. 

Nottingham-based J Tomlinson’s role included £4 million of the work, which involved building two new extensions, structural and internal alterations, as well as external modifications. 

Twelve of the museum’s 14 galleries have been completely transformed, including the creation of a stunning all-new permanent World Land Speed Record Exhibition for ThrustSSC and Thrust2. 

The project has also involved the redevelopment of the museum’s neighbouring Grade 1 listed, 12th Century Old Grammar School, which has been brought back into public use as an exhibition, education and events space. 

Martin Gallagher, Construction Managing Director at J Tomlinson, said: “Coventry Transport Museum holds the largest publicly owned collection of British vehicles in the world, and J Tomlinson is proud to have been involved in this redevelopment scheme which has created a new home for them, and for the hundreds of other exhibits on display. 

“This is a world-class museum that showcases Coventry’s rich transport heritage. The adjacent Grade 1 listed, 12^th Century Grammar School is also a very special building, and we are very pleased to have given this a new lease of life as it opens the next chapter in its long and illustrious history. 

“J Tomlinson has completed the project on time and on budget, and we are delighted that the museum is now fully open again for the public to enjoy.” 

Coventry Transport Museum fully re-opened on Saturday 20^th June with a special event involving supercar stuntman Terry Grant, who is famous for holding over 20 stunt-related World Records, and petrolhead duo and presenters Harry Metcalfe and Amanda Stretton who showcased a Trailblazing Cars of the World tribute; including a Ferrari F40, Porsche 911, Jaguar C-type, original Range Rover and many more. 

Culture Coventry chief executive Gary Hall said: “Re-launching the museum is the culmination of seven years of hard work by the team. It marks yet another landmark for Coventry’s transport heritage, but also preserves its rich history. The museum provides a haven for visitors to immerse themselves in the past, present and future of Coventry’s transport legacy - capturing the imagination of visitors of all ages.  We are extremely grateful to the European Regional Development Fund, the Heritage Lottery Fund and all of the other organisations who have supported this project throughout.” 

J Tomlinson, which is based in Lilac Grove, Beeston, near Nottingham, and operates mainly throughout the East and West Midlands, provides a range of services including construction, refurbishment, repairs and maintenance, mechanical and electrical engineering, energy efficiency, fit out and facilities management. 

Coventry Transport Museum’s redevelopment project was funded by the European Regional Development Fund, Heritage Lottery Fund, Garfield Weston, as well as Biffa Award and WREN via the Landfill Communities Fund, and Arts Council England.

For more information visit www.jtomlinson.co.uk

Press release issued by Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

BSP Consulting reveals upturn in private housing projects

Civil and structural engineering firm BSP Consulting is reporting a major increase in inquiries about new housing developments – signalling what it believes is a significant upturn in private house building. 

The Nottingham-based company has been approached to assist with the design of plans for more than 6,000 new private homes across the region and beyond since the start of 2015. 

The proposed developments range from large-scale schemes featuring hundreds of houses to bespoke individual projects of ten or 20 homes. 

The trend marks a 40% increase on the same period last year, said business development director Jef Todd. 

“The demand for civil and structural engineering skills is very often a barometer of how trends are going in the construction sector, as we tend to get involved in the process at an early stage, and we have noticed a sharp increase in the number of inquiries we have received in our East Midlands offices for work connected to private housing developments,” said Jef. 

“Since the start of this year, we have been approached to assist with proposals for 6,000 new private homes in areas from Lincolnshire in the east up to County Durham in the north and down to Northamptonshire. Some are being planned and built by multi-national developers, while others are due to be constructed by smaller companies. 

“There is a recognised shortage of housing and the trend that we are experiencing is not only welcome news for the construction sector generally, it is also good news for those individuals and families who are looking for private homes to buy.” 

BSP Consulting, which is based at Oxford Street, Nottingham, and also has offices at Pride Park, Derby, De Montfort Street, Leicester, and Solly Street, Sheffield, provides civil, structural, traffic, transportation, geotechnical and environmental engineering services across the construction industry in all sectors. 

Its pre-planning work includes site feasibility studies, flood risk assessments, transport and travel plans, design of infrastructure, such as roads and drainage, as well as design work on homes and buildings. 

The company is involved in a number of key East Midlands housing schemes currently, including regeneration schemes Castleward in Derby and Cotgrave Colliery in Nottinghamshire.

Earlier this month, data released by Barbour ABI showed that the number of contracts awarded for new build residential units has been strong so far in 2015, with the comparative figures for the first four months of this year showing a 32% rise from the corresponding months of 2014. 

Barbour ABI is one of the chosen providers of construction data for the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the Government, and has a reputation for being a leading provider of construction intelligence services. 

For more information visit www.bsp-consulting.co.uk

Press release issued by Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

J Tomlinson continues expansion with appointment on four West Midlands contracts

Contractor J Tomlinson has won four key West Midlands contracts worth potentially more than £25 million. 

The company has been appointed to a four-year framework contract by Warwickshire Police and West Mercia Police covering servicing, maintenance, reactive repairs and minor works. The award has a potential value of up to £9.1 million over the lifetime of the agreement. 

The firm has also won a five-year contract worth £10 million to replace kitchens and bathrooms in around 1,600 properties in Birmingham, Coventry, Stoke, Walsall and Wolverhampton for housing organisation Midland Heart. 

In addition, J Tomlinson has recently been appointed on two contracts in Sutton Coldfield on the old Sutton Coldfield Conservative Club site. The first is a new 65-bed care home on the site of the old Conservative Club building for Hamberley Development and the second is a new building for Sutton Coldfield Conservative Club at the rear of the site. The new building is also the home of Boldmere Tennis Club and Boldmere Bowls Club. Both contracts are being constructed concurrently on the same site with a combined value of approximately £6 million. 

The company now plans to open a new depot in the West Midlands and expects the contracts to secure employment for around 100 local sub-contractors as work gets underway. They represent a major development for J Tomlinson as a significant provider within the West Midlands region and contributor to the local economy. 

Mark Davis, CEO at J Tomlinson, said: “I am very pleased to announce these latest appointments for J Tomlinson in the West Midlands, a region in which we have worked for many years and where we have a growing reputation. 

“Recently J Tomlinson was proud to have been named in Deloitte’s Businesses Leading Britain 2014 report, which provides insights into the UK’s 1,000 fastest-growing businesses with annual revenues between £30 million and £1 billion. These West Midlands contracts represent significant appointments for us as we continue our expansion, and cement our position as a key player.” 

The Warwickshire Police and West Mercia Police framework will be managed by the innovative Place Partnership from September 2015. This pioneering venture brings together six core partners - Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service, Redditch Borough Council, Worcester City Council and Worcestershire County Council, alongside Warwickshire Police and West Mercia Police to develop a single estate function across the public sector organisations. The collaboration will drive service integration, customer service delivery and operational efficiency to support frontline services. 

The contracts for both Midland Heart and Warwickshire Police and West Mercia Police have just begun, while work has recently got underway on site for the new nursing home and pavilion in Jockey Road, Sutton Coldfield. 

J Tomlinson, which offers services in construction, refurbishment, repairs and maintenance, mechanical and electrical engineering, energy efficiency, renewables, fit out and facilities management, is based in Lilac Grove, Beeston, near Nottingham, and has depots across the East and West Midlands.

For more information visit www.jtomlinson.co.uk

Press release issued by Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk