Birmingham 2022 launch recruitment drive for thousands of jobs

Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games is urging people to register their interest in the tens of thousands job opportunities that will become available between now and the Games.

The recruitment drive has been launched today to encourage people to register their interest in the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be a part of the biggest event ever to take place in the West Midlands.

Birmingham 2022 launches first Official Retail Store

The first Official Retail Store for Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games has now officially opened. Located on New Street by the iconic Bullring, the 3,200ft² store is stocked full of official Birmingham 2022 merchandise, including clothing, hats, caps, water bottles and soft toys. Sports fans can also get their hands-on Team England T-shirts, vests and hoodies.

Birmingham 2022 Signs Race at Work Charter

Birmingham 2022, the organisers of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, which will be staged from 28 July to 8 August 2022, has officially signed the Race at Work Charter.

An initiative, which is designed to improve outcomes for employees from ethnically diverse communities, the Race at Work Charter was launched in partnership with the UK Government in 2018 and builds on the work of the 2017 McGregor-Smith Review.

Birmingham addiction support specialist is named National Social Entrepreneur of the Year

The founder of a Birmingham-based charity that has helped hundreds of people to recover from alcohol and drug addiction has been named as Barclay’s 2021 National Social Entrepreneur of the Year.

Steve Dixon, who started Changes UK in Digbeth in 2009, beat off competition from all over the UK to claim the prestigious prize, with judges praising his pioneering approach to recovery that has seen 85% of the people it engages with complete rehabilitation and move on to independent living.

Birmingham Airport shows its commitment to safety and achieves ISO 45001

Birmingham Airport has achieved ISO 45001 certification following a successful assessment of its occupational health & safety management system by the globally recognised certification body, Lloyd’s Register. 

ISO 45001:2018 is the international standard for Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Management Systems. It has been designed to provide companies with a framework that elevates the importance of OH&S on the corporate agenda. It aims to improve employee safety, reduce workplace risks and accommodate health and safety challenges.  

The airport’s ISO 45001 certification scope covers the terminal operations, including security, cleaning and facilities management, and supports its commitment to providing a safe and secure work and operational environment for all who use the facility. 

Simon Toseland, Head of Health, Safety and Fire at Birmingham Airport, said: “We are all tremendously proud to achieve the ISO 45001 certification. It demonstrates the commitment to our ‘Safety Culture Excellence’ vision to provide the safest possible environment for our employees, passengers and all other persons who visit the airport. 

“It was important that we chose a certification body who has a strong working knowledge of our industry and who were going to challenge our OH&S Management System as we strive for year on year continual improvement. Working with Lloyd’s Register throughout this process has been an extremely positive experience; they really took the time to understand the unique risk factors of our complex operation as well being able to competently liaise with our teams at all levels”. 

Senior Auditor at Lloyd's Register, Pam Phillips,  added: “Throughout the certification process, Birmingham Airport demonstrated a great level of commitment and engagement that makes their achievement even more important. The whole team involved was very enthusiastic, knowledgeable about their management system and understood well their roles and responsibilities. LR is looking forward to supporting Birmingham Airport through our services in the future”. 

Birmingham Airport is the UK’s third largest airport outside London and supports employment on site for 7000 people. Prior to the COVID pandemic, some 13 million passengers travelled through the airport annually, and as it prepares for the restart of travel once restrictions are lifted, health and safety will be front and centre of its plans.    

Birmingham Airport switches to renewable electricity

Birmingham Airport is now using electricity generated solely from renewable sources.  

This is the latest step in the company’s journey to net zero carbon by 2033, set out last month in its roadmap. 

Birmingham among the UK's least financially-savvy cities

When thinking of financial literacy in the UK, people’s minds typically jump to London. So, this is a closer look at just how financially-savvy different cities across the country are. Using Google’s Keyword Planner data, the top ten cities have been broken down by search volume.

Bristol ranks at number 1, registering a total score of 92.04 (out of 100) for savings and investment searches. This includes registering the most searches for 8 out of the 10 key categories: stocks, shares, bonds, pensions, funds, TSAs and ISAs, savings options, and property.

Findings suggest Bristolians are eager to make the most of their money, which is more important than ever in light of the pandemic. Research suggests those from higher-income households have seen their savings increase, while those from lower-income households, including those furloughed, unemployed or retired have seen their savings decrease.

For each of these groups, savings and investments are now crucial, whether to create new income streams or to get the largest return on their limited savings.

Bristol’s penchant for saving and investment search queries isn’t too surprising, given the city was found to have the highest density of online traders in the UK – with 24 in every 1,000 Bristolians an active trader. It’s clear residents of the city are regularly looking to make their money work for them.

Edinburgh’s residents are also financially-focused, finishing second overall for their volume of savings and investments searches – including topping the table for ‘commodities’ searches and posting the second-highest number of searches for ‘stocks’, ‘bonds’, ‘pensions’, ‘funds’, ‘TSAs and ISAs’ and ‘savings options’ terms.

Interestingly however, Edinburgh ranked last for Google searches around ‘property’ investments. This is surprising given the city regularly features in regional property investment tables and boasts impressive 5-year price growth figures for its properties.

Most shocking though, is London’s 9^th place finish. The city is regularly considered the ‘financial capital of the world’, however, its residents fall behind most of their compatriots when it comes to researching savings and investments. This includes posting the lowest normalised score for ‘cryptocurrency’, ‘pensions’ and ‘savings options’ searches.

This low search volume may be a result of Londoners’ low levels of disposable income. A recent study suggests London’s high cost of living sees its residents take home the lowest income in the UK, that is after tax and basic living costs are taken into account. This is despite Londoners earning the highest salaries.

According to the same study, Londoners are left with just £260.97 each month, compared with Bristolians’ £1,122.57. Of course, there are a huge number of factors at play here, but the data suggests a correlation between this high disposable income & Bristolians actively learning more about the savings and investment options available to them.

Liverpool saw the lowest total search volume for terms related to savings and investments, including the lowest volume for specific categories including ‘stocks’, ‘shares’, ‘funds’ and ‘commodities’.

Annie Charalambous, Content Manager at ETX Capital, commented on the findings: “It’s fascinating to see the differences in how UK cities research their financial investments. London is often considered a financial hotspot and we expect Londoners to be on top of their finances – however search interest sees Londoners towards the bottom of the table.

“While we may expect different savings and investment vehicles to peak in popularity across the country, Bristolians seem to be the most avid researchers when it comes to almost all investment types. Overall, it’s promising to see so many people across the country taking the time to research their savings and investments.

“Knowledge is key in any financial decision, to make sure it’s right for you and provides the greatest return based on your risk acceptance.”

Birmingham and Solihull among the best places outside London for a finance career

London may be the country’s banking hub, yet there are 15 places across the UK and several unexpectedly finance-friendly towns that offer surprisingly good career prospects.

A new study found that Edinburgh, Birmingham and Manchester offer the next best opportunities for a career in finance after London. Meanwhile, big districts like Cornwall, Bradford and Wiltshire disappoint in terms of pursuing a finance career, barely competing with much smaller places, like Stockport, Solihull, Elmbridge, and Windsor and Maidenhead.

Birmingham architect shows Boris Johnson how a flat refurbishment can be done on time and on budget

Architect HOKO Design has shown Prime Minister Boris Johnson that £30,000 is more than enough to create a dream Downing Street dwelling. The talented team at HOKO drafted a mood board for Number 11 Downing Street – packed with a host of high-end practical features to match the demands of private and public life as the nation’s premier. 

Stand out features in the design – of course deliverable on time and on budget – include an ‘oven-ready’ kitchen, perfect for delivering on promises of a top-notch dinner; door closers to ensure those important conversations remain private; and a sound-proofed walls to ensure neighbours aren’t disturbed at any time day or night. There is also the option of a zip line next door to Number 10 – but be sure to wear suitable safety equipment. 

Danny Campbell, founder at HOKO, a full-service architecture to interior design firm which opened a studio in Birmingham this year, said: “The Prime Minister could have saved himself a lot of time and hassle had he come to HOKO.

“As an architect I am always on the lookout for ways to help make the most of space and that of course extends to our nation’s leader. Like many in the UK I was shocked at the suggestion £200,000 be needed to refurbish any flat – even in one of London’s most exclusive areas – and we are more than willing to show what is possible for the very generous £30,000 afforded by the people of this nation. 

“As with every project, we have carefully taken the personal and professional requirements of the client into consideration, and created a design fit for the lifestyle of the Prime Minister and his family. We will of course be able to deliver it on time and on budget, and with all aspects of the project from concept to completion delivered by HOKO and its partners. Mr Johnson will be able to sleep easy in our hands, free from nightmares of any kind.” 

Other homeowners wondering what an architect’s eye could bring to their interior design desires also need wait no more thanks to the latest innovation from HOKO – described as ‘Uber for architecture’. 

‘Homeowner’s architect’ HOKO’s innovative new online shop offers clients free access to a specially curated collection of hidden interior design gems all in one place. The new platform ­– which features locally sourced high-end ranges curated by HOKO’s Architects – will allow users to create and complete a fully customisable look for their project with the ability to manage budgets more easily.   

The online shop contains myriad décor, furniture, fixture and fittings options for any project from kitchen, living room, and dining room to extensions and even the garden. More than 50 suppliers including Caddisfly Kitchens, Castrads, Moda Ceramics, Corston Architectural Detail, Porcelanosa and Astro Lighting have already signed up, with more to be added as the service grows.

HOKO Shop is not limited to clients undergoing a HOKO design project and will be fully accessible to anyone looking to upgrade their interiors and reinvigorate their environments with “cool new stuff” they would never have dreamed of. It is part of the architecture firm’s pursuit of the ‘perfect’ client experience from project start to end.  

Danny Campbell, the Service Industries Entrepreneur of the Year for Scotland and Northern Ireland at the 2020 Great British Entrepreneur Awards, added: “Home improvement projects are a big thing for anybody, and everything we do is geared towards making the process smoother, easier and less stressful. We design the space, we build the space and now we can fill the space.”

HOKO looks after every stage of the process, from design to delivery using a range of trusted regional contractors to ensure the consistently highest quality service throughout the process all with one point of contact. It recently expanded across the UK, opening new studios in the North of Scotland, North and South London, Bristol and the South West, Birmingham and the West Midlands, and Brighton and the South East complementing the firm’s Glasgow headquarters.

Birmingham barber tells how he was begged to break the law in lockdown

The creator of a mobile barber website which operates in Birmingham has revealed people were begging him to break the law during lockdown and send a barber to their home to give them a haircut.

Giuliano Dore, founder of Get Groomed, said: “We learned that a lot of people try to have haircuts regardless of a law stating that they couldn’t which came as a surprise.

Birmingham business guru joins Sport 4 Life UK Ambassador Programme

Renowned Birmingham entrepreneur and corporate networker Professor Paul Cadman is to help disadvantaged youngsters from across the West Midlands secure better life chances after becoming a ‘Business Ambassador‘ for a leading personal development charity.

Paul, who was recently made an Honorary Fellow of University College Birmingham, is the latest influencer to join Digbeth-based Sport 4 Life UK, which harnesses the power of sport to improve employability skills among 11- to 29-year-olds.

Birmingham business raises £64,000 donation for homeless support service

SIFA Fireside’s Michael McMillan, Melissa Roche, Natalie Allen with Colemans’ Mark Coleman Birmingham demolition contractor Colemans celebrated 60 years in business with a £64,000 donation to local charity, SIFA Fireside, after a year of fundraising activities.

Colemans, a family business founded by John and Norah Coleman in October 1962, hosted a 60^th anniversary dinner where they presented a cheque for £60,000 to Birmingham-based SIFA Fireside.

Birmingham business titans recognised by university for contribution to Midlands

Two influential figures from the Midlands business community are to be awarded honorary doctorates from Birmingham City University in recognition of their outstanding achievements to the region.

Paul Cadman and Paul Faulkner, who have supported, developed and led businesses ranging from entrepreneurial start-ups to globally recognised brands, will receive one of the highest distinctions a university is able to confer, at a Symphony Hall Birmingham ceremony on Tuesday 30 August.

Birmingham businesses invited to meet disabled jobseekers at accessible job fair

Birmingham charity launches free scheme to praise COVID Workplace Champions

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), which is headquartered in Edgbaston, has unveiled a new COVID Workplace Champion scheme. The scheme seeks to recognise those who have continually gone above and beyond to keep their colleagues safe during the pandemic. Nominations are being sought to recognise those individuals who have not only made their workplaces safe, but in doing so indirectly protected hundreds of thousands of people and their families.

RoSPA, known for its prestigious health and safety awards which impact on the working lives of more than seven million employees, is now seeking to highlight the contributions of those who have used their expertise, passion and unwavering commitment to help limit the transmission of COVID in workplaces.

Errol Taylor, RoSPA’s Chief Executive, said: “We know only too well the huge effort that has been required to keep workplaces functioning over the past 18 months. We also realise that this vital work must continue for the foreseeable future. Importantly, for each and every one of us, there are COVID Workplace Champions out there and this recognition scheme is for them. We simply want to say thank you, and keep up the great work!

“All businesses and organisations, big or small, have people who are working tirelessly to keep us safe - and often do so in the background and with little or no recognition. This is why we want to say to them: we see you; and we want to celebrate you.

“Making a nomination is free and anyone from a CEO to a caretaker can be put forward as a COVID Workplace Champion. We would like to see nominations from all sectors, irrespective of whether they are small businesses or large multinationals, from the public or the private sector, it’s time to show our gratitude to the people who are keeping us safe every day.”

Anyone can nominate a colleague or someone in their professional network, who they think deserves praise for keeping employees COVID safe during the pandemic. It is completely free of charge to nominate someone and RoSPA welcomes submissions from anywhere in the world.

Successful nominees will receive a certificate and will be invited to attend a celebratory event in 2022.

Birmingham City announcement partners with Oak View Group

Birmingham City Football Club is pleased to announce it has entered into a multi-year partnership with leading global sports and entertainment company, Oak View Group (OVG) Europe Ltd.

Birmingham City appoint Deborah Cadman as permanent chief executive

Deborah Cadman, Birmingham City Council’s current interim chief executive, has been appointed to the role on a permanent basis following a formal recruitment process.

Raised and educated in Birmingham, Ms Cadman worked at the city council for seven years during her early career and has been interim chief executive for just over a year.

Birmingham City Council Cabinet Member announcement

The following changes to the city council’s cabinet have today been announced:

• Councillor Sharon Thompson becomes Cabinet Member for Vulnerable Children and Families.
• Cllr Shabrana Hussain joins the cabinet as Cabinet Member for Homes and Neighbourhoods
• Cllr John Cotton, Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion, Community Safety and Equalities, will now take on the responsibility for Bereavement Services and Registrar Services.

Birmingham content agency supports international hospitality leader with new brand launch

Full service content marketing agency, HDY Agency, has completed the visual identity and relaunch of the sports and leisure division of Sodexo, the hospitality services and events management brand responsible for major sport, professional and cultural moments and venues across the UK and around the world. 

The major project win saw the fast growing content marketing agency develop a new brand identity and implementation for the global business: Sodexo Live! that encapsulates the excitement, energy and emotion of being able to attend live events with loved ones once again. 

Birmingham content marketing agency bolsters team with senior hires

Global content marketing agency, HDY Agency, has strengthened its operational team with the appointment of its first growth director and project director. 

Bringing 20 years of marketing and advertising experience, Deborah Green joins the fast-growing agency as a growth director to support its visions of client growth and international expansion.