Category: Business

MORE than 100 young people, aged 5-13, were inspired by science and engineering when Sellafield Engineering Centre of Excellence hosted a UK-wide initiative.

The Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) held events all over the UK in the school holidays to give young people hands-on experience of science.

Sellafield Engineering Centre of Excellence at Cleator Moor, with its dedicated innovation bays, was chosen as an ideal venue to show young people future opportunities.

Craig Branney, Sellafield’s Head of Off-Site Developments, said: “The buzz around the place was amazing. We had children and parents in all the bays having fun trying out the engineering challenges. It was fantastic to feel the energy and excitement.

“It was an honour to host such a prestigious nationwide event and hopefully we have inspired young people from all across West Cumbria what the future might look like for them.”

Holly Maxwell, Lead System Engineer, and Lorna Devine, System Engineer, both at Sellafield, attended the event to inspire girls about careers in engineering.

“It’s about showing young girls that females are engineers and all the opportunities are open to them. If we weren’t here maybe they wouldn’t see someone they identified with or were comfortable approaching to speak to and find out more. It’s about making sure those barriers don’t existing and showing girls that they can absolutely do this.”

Jenny and Peter McCullough were one lots of families attending the event. Their sons William and Thomas enjoyed taking part in some of the fun challenges.

Jenny said: “It’s great for them to actually see what goes on and be able to have a go at the hands-on stuff instead of just hearing about it from adults. It brings it to life and hopefully they see from a young age the possibilities which are open to them. You don’t know what you don’t know. So this is a brilliant way of showing them.”

Thomas said: “It’s been really good. Spot the Dog robot was amazing and it’s been fun being able to try some of the challenges.”

Shawn Ackerlay, commercial manager at Shepley Engineers, said his company sees the value in engaging with schoolchildren from a young age.

“It’s good to be here and show the young people what engineering is all about. I think it’s important to get this type of stuff into the curriculum so young people know more about it and further down the line they might choose an apprenticeship.”

Sellafield engineering manager colleagues Stephen Kitchen and Mike Foy, who represent the the Institute of Engineering and Technology, came up with the idea of holding the event at the Engineering Centre of Excellence and worked with Matt Walton, Senior Corporate Account Manager for the Institute of Engineering and Technology, to make the event a reality.

Artur Majchrowski, Sellafield Electrical and Electronic Engineering Graduate who is building a local IET group in West Cumbria, worked with colleague Dharmesh Premchande to deliver the event with the help of Claire Roper, Sellafield’s Engineering & Maintenance Capability Lead for Professional Development and Claire O’Connor, Sellafield’s Engineering Centre of Excellence socio economic lead.

Artur said: “It’s great for Sellafield to open its doors to kids in this way and the Engineering Centre of Excellence is the ideal place to do that.

“It’s all about encouraging kids and giving them a never-seen-before experience of what industry looks like.

“These sort of events couldn’t happen without the hard work of Claire Roper and Claire O’Connor. They work so hard on the work experience programmes to ensure as many young people as possible are given these opportunities and are inspired by engineering and STEM subjects.

“Everyone has come together to achieve this and make everything visible for the young people and give them this experience to show them what jobs and opportunities are open to them.”

The event is exactly the sort of activity to inspire people about future opportunities and create clear pathways into future employment and skills and training opportunities that iSH (Industrial Solutions Hub) wants to see.

iSH is set to transform Leconfield Industrial Estate in Cleator Moor by creating a campus where industry, SMEs, academia, and community come together to collaborate, as part of its wider programme across West Cumbria which will regenerate local opportunities.

John Maddison, Managing Director of iSH, said: “The more people we can introduce to the opportunities and the possibilities for them the better.

“I am sure many young people who have had this experience at the Engineering Centre of Excellence have gone away inspired about what they could achieve in the future.

“Congratulations to everyone who helped make this happen and inspire the young people. We look forward to being involved in future events and programmes to maximise this opportunity for everyone of all ages across the community.”

Calling all SMEs.

The next cohort of Barclays Eagle Labs Funding Readiness Programme, powered by Capital Enterprise, will go live on October 3.

This is free to attend for any SMEs regardless of where they bank.

Barclays Eagle Labs online sessions cover:

• Grant funding
• Crowdfunding
• Equity investment
• Alternative ways of funding your business

By joining you will:

• Improve your knowledge of the funding landscape
• Learn about the available innovation grant funds and what makes a compelling grant application
• Understand how to plan, market and deliver a successful crowdfunding campaign
• Connect, network and learn from a cohort of ambitious businesses like yours who are looking to grow
• Gain access to educational content
• Receive additional support from the Eagle Labs team after the programme ends as well as mentoring from growth experts
• Receive 1:1 mentoring support from a grant and/or crowdfunding expert*
• Benefit from tailored and 1:1 investor readiness support to help you shape and deliver a compelling pitch to potential investors*
• Attend a demo day*

* selected businesses only.

Register now Applications close September 23, 2022. 

Find out more here: Eagle Labs Funding Readiness powered by Capital Enterprise | Barclays Eagle Labs (uk.barclays)

Contracts have been awarded for initial work to start on the redevelopment of the Leconfield Industrial Estate at Cleator Moor.

The former skip site clearance contract has been awarded to Cumbria Waste Management who are expected to start on site on Monday, September 12 and complete the works by mid October.

Warden Construction has been awarded the contract to relocate the BOC yard from Unit 11 to its new location behind Brannan.

Galliford-Try has been awarded the contract to undertake refurbishment work to 11 existing units on site.

SMEs across West Cumbria are invited to attend a business engagement meeting with iSH on October 6 at Cleator Moor Civic Hall, 10am-noon.

iSH is particularly focusing on opportunities to enhance capabilities in Advanced Manufacturing, Cyber Security, Digital, Robotics and AI across the region.

SMEs are now invited to attend this engagement event to find out:

*how iSH can help their business

*how they can help shape the future of the region’s business eco-system

John Maddison, Managing Director of iSH, said: “We have been very busy at iSH in recent weeks and making great progress on a range of opportunities.

“We are now very keen to engage with SMEs across the region and discuss how iSH can help businesses grow.

“It’s very much a two-way conversation. We are just as interested in how those SMEs see the opportunity to shape iSH and ultimately the future of the wider region.

“We have held community group meetings which have been a great way of exchanging information and views to help shape iSH and what happens across the community.

“These SME meetings will very much focus on business outcomes and we look forward to hearing the views of those running businesses across the region.”

The iSH SME engagement event is due to take place from 10am-noon, with refreshments and a chance to network after the event.

To reserve your place for the event please book on EventBrite https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ish-sme-engagement-event-tickets-415292138967

Collaboration and joint ventures are becoming ever more prevalent for SMEs looking to combine their skills and expertise to bid for major industry contracts across a range of sectors.

McMenon recently announced that, as part of the NWEC Alliance, it has secured two major contract wins, worth more than £4million with Programme and Project Partners at Sellafield.

NWEC – a collaborative partnership between McMenon and TIS Cumbria – will provide process cabinets for the SIXEP Continuity Plant (SCP) with a total contract value of £3.5 million.

This will include the fabrication, assembly, testing and supply of wash and process cabinets to be used in the site’s new-build facility that will ensure the existing Site Ion Exchange Effluent Plant facility, which has been running since 1985, can continue its vital work for decades to come.
Another contract is for 191 fabrications for theSellafield Product and Residue Store Retreatment Plant (SRP) with a contract value of just over £800,000.
This includes a manufacturing package for specialist trolleys, handling equipment, personnel access and machine operating and maintenance tooling.

McMenon CEO, Anand Puthran, said: “Winning two new contracts with PPP, worth more than £4million, is a ringing endorsement for the skills and quality within McMenon and TIS Cumbria – who make up the NWEC Alliance.
“Not only does it meet McMenon’s diversification aims but also puts us firmly on the map among top class manufacturing companies in West Cumbria and the wider UK civil nuclear infrastructure community.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase our engineering and manufacturing expertise and show what two independent SMEs on the west coast of Cumbria can achieve through collaborative working.

“NWEC’s aim was always to help establish a long-term and sustainable legacy for the West Cumbrian and wider UK economy through the provision of opportunities, skills, engagement and employment. And this contract win is a huge boost to our aims.

“We are all excited to get started. Our thanks go to Programme and Project Partners for the endorsement and we look forward to developing our relationship with Sellafield Ltd moving forward.”

McMenon Chief Operations Officer, Shiby Bernard, who manages the engineering and manufacturing side of the business, said: “This is a fantastic achievement and showcases the ability of our highly skilled workforce.

“This contract win will allow us to support more young people into engineering careers and I personally would be looking to encourage more females into the sector. This is a cause we have always championed through our apprenticeship and schools programme.”

The collaboration also benefits different sectors, including professional services.

Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors supported McMenon Engineering Services with the legal framework underpinning its NWEC Alliance with TIS Cumbria Ltd.

Sam Lyon, Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors Head of Corporate and Commercial, said: “It’s great to see so many businesses across Cumbria and the North collaborating and being successful in winning such major contracts. It’s fantastic news not only for them, but for the wider economy and the community.

“We are seeing more and more businesses collaborating in this way. We work with a business to make sure it is clear who will be responsible for what. Is a new joint venture company to be formed for the bid or will the collaborating businesses remain separate and enter into a contractual joint venture? In order to have a chance to win bids it’s vital that this work is done upfront.

“We made sure we put in place all those structures to keep all the partners happy and allow them to progress smoothly, which it is great to see has resulted in the recent £4m contract win. This level of expertise and service is available in Cumbria. Businesses don’t have to go further afield.

“It’s brilliant to see that it has been a successful outcome for McMenon and the NWEC Alliance as it will support more jobs in the county.”

Anand said: “We have collaborated with a range of organisations to help make this happen and we thank Sam and the team at Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors for their expertise. We are looking forward to working on the PPP and further developing our relationship with Sellafield Ltd.”

John Maddison, Managing Director of iSH, said: “It’s brilliant to see the success McMenon and TIS Cumbria Ltd have had through forming the NWEC Alliance.This is a great example of the enhanced capability from collaboration and the benefit it brings to SMEs, industry, the West Cumbria community and the wider economic region.”

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/latest-win-for-west-cumbrian-firms-with-sellafield-partnership

TWO long-established Cumbrian companies have formed a collaborative partnership to complement each other’s strengths and provide a more comprehensive service to their clients.

Engineering company Forth, which specialises in providing bespoke solutions to industry-wide problems, and design consultancy Actemium Design UK, formerly North West Projects, have entered a formal agreement to join forces to provide ‘cradle to grave’ services all under one roof.

The partnership was agreed as both companies identified the other could provide expertise in areas they were lacking in, with Actemium providing design and substantiation services and Forth developing these assets through its mechanical and electrical engineering skill sets.

The newly agreed collaboration is already reaping the rewards following successful tenders for design, build and testing on two projects, including the creation of specialist underwater lifting equipment for use within the legacy ponds at Sellafield.

Mark Telford, the Managing Director of Forth, said: “This partnership will provide a one-stop shop for clients that require engineered solutions to their problems within challenging timescales through the ability to provide concurrent trials and testing at the early phases of design.

“Forth cannot provide design and substantiation services to as high a standard as Actemium can while we can provide the agility to develop and manufacture equipment for suppliers of high quality with a quick turn-around time, so it’s a case of both companies recognising its strengths and weaknesses and working together, rather than against each other, to offer the best value for money to our clients.

“Collaboration is key to SMEs across Cumbria and by streamlining our services and joining up with other businesses means that we’re offering a better service to our clients in highly regulated industries without compromising on the high quality we both work to.

“By working together, we are keeping jobs in the local area because it removes the requirement for clients to look elsewhere to plug the gaps that we wouldn’t be able to provide on a project.”

Pooling resources together will also go a long way in addressing the ongoing recruitment crisis most industries are currently experiencing.

As both companies are actively recruiting for suitable candidates to join their teams, the collaborative working removes the need to employ somebody to carry out the roles the firms cannot currently deliver themselves, therefore saving money for the company and subsequently the client.

Forth and Actemium will also share staffing resources and provide ongoing training for apprentices over the two bases.

Mark said: “SMEs are experiencing huge difficulties in recruiting the talent they need to fill vacant roles, but this partnership means that we don’t have to continue to struggle finding somebody suitable as we can provide the required expertise between us.

“It’s mutually beneficial to both businesses and it means that we are in a much stronger position to provide a better service to clients.

“It opens doors for us to share staff on projects and also provide practical training opportunities to employees at the respective companies, and that will bring out the best in our workforce.”

Actemium Design UK, which operated as North West Projects for more than 30 years, is now part of the globally-renowned Vinci Corporation and has a base at Whitehaven Harbour.

Brian Berry, Actemium’s Business Unit General Manager, said: “It’s great to be collaborating with such an innovative company like Forth, and we are looking forward to a long and successful partnership.

“As a company, our specialisms lie in mechanical and electrical design across highly regulated industries such as nuclear, decommissioning, pharmaceutical and oil and gas, and we have a long history of providing a first class service to our clients.

“By combining our capabilities, this partnership is a really exciting collaboration to be involved in and working together will enable us to provide an even more comprehensive, industry-wide service.”

Forth has offices in Flimby, Cleator Moor and Barrow-in-Furness, all in Cumbria, while Actemium Design has a presence in Lancashire and Hampshire in addition to its Cumbrian base.

John Maddison, Managing Director of iSH, said: “It’s great to see a collaboration like this which delivers enhanced capability and benefits SMEs, industry, and the wider economic region.”

A specialist manufacturing business is planning further growth as part of a £0.5million investment.
Capalex, which employs more than 50 people in West Cumbria, is further enhancing its manufacturing capacity and capability at its 5,700 square-metre site at Cleator Moor.

Having already invested in robotics technology to enhance its capabilities, Capalex is adding more new specialist machinery this month at its site at Leconfield from where it exports around the world, including across Europe, USA, and South-East Asia as well as throughout the UK.

A one-stop shop aluminium extrusion manufacturing service Capalex (Capital Aluminium Extrusions Ltd) serves a range of sectors including Aerospace, Architectural, Automotive, Aviation, Defence, Display, Electronics, Engineering, Furniture, Leisure, Marine, Product Design, Retail, Rail and Signage.

Its products are found in a diverse range of settings from aircraft seats to rail carriages, high-end audio to hospitals, they are even found in space as part of satellite systems orbiting the earth.

All its manufacturing, extrusion, machining, powder coating, heat treatment, assembly, storage, and despatch takes place under one roof at its Leconfield site which takes delivery of the new equipment this month.

Richard Owen, Capalex General Manager, said: “This investment and our constant commitment to improve our processes helps us retain our position as a leader in our industry and is good news not just for Capalex but also for Cleator Moor and the wider community.

“The vast majority of people who work at Capalex live in the immediate surrounding area, many have worked with us for a long time and have developed their skills here and helped the company move forward with their proactive, problem-solving approach. We have a great team and we are very proud of the way we develop our people.”

Capalex’s approach means it offers a bespoke service, which is particularly valuable to those working in emerging markets.

Richard said: “Our customers range from very small engineering companies and start-ups to some of the biggest multinationals, spanning every market sector.
“We provide a greater range of alloys and more flexibility on profile design, tolerances, quantities and lead times than many of the larger scale commercial extrusion companies.

“This can be particularly helpful to designers developing new products and for industries where flexible lower quantities, better tolerances and responsive quick deliveries are paramount.”

Once the new equipment arrives, Capalex is planning a number of environmental improvements at its site including creating a wild flower meadow.

The wider redevelopment of the Leconfield site forms part of the regeneration programme being delivered across West Cumbria by iSH, the Industrial Solutions Hub.
John Maddison, Managing Director of iSH, said: “What Richard and the team at Capalex are delivering through innovation and investment, as well as environmental improvements, and all the positive impacts that has on the wider community, including for jobs and opportunities, is great to see.

“There are so many businesses in West Cumbria delivering pioneering solutions not just across the UK, but all around the world. It’s what makes iSH so excited about how working collaboratively, and joining the dots, we can achieve even more together. These are exciting times for the region.”

AN INITIATIVE which will regenerate communities across West Cumbria and create more than 700 jobs has won vital financial backing to fund its programme.
iSH (the Industrial Solutions Hub) which will bring employment, skills and training opportunities to West Cumbria has received funding support from Copeland Borough Council and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

At a meeting of Copeland Borough Council’s full council on June 21, members voted to accept £2.329m from the Sellafield impact fund, £7m from the NDA’s socio economic fund and to put in a bid to the Government’s Levelling Up Fund Round 2 to support iSH.

Mayor of Copeland, Mike Starkie, said: “This is an exciting day for Copeland, West Cumbria and the region.

“iSH will lift the aspirations of those living and working in Copeland and bring opportunities for all.

“Its reach can be global and its positive impact will be felt across Copeland, West Cumbria and beyond. This is the largest investment into Cleator Moor for generations.”

iSH is an initiative led by Copeland Borough Council with the support of key stakeholders including the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Sellafield Ltd, Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership and private sector supply chain partners. Copeland Borough Council chief executive Pat Graham said: “I am delighted that Copeland is leading the way by backing this programme. iSH is an opportunity which will benefit every generation and will bring wide-ranging benefits to the whole region.”

Jamie Reed, NDA Director of Socio-Economics, said: “The NDA and Sellafield Ltd have worked with local partners over recent years to bring these ideas forward and to ensure that the Industrial Solutions Hub has reached this point.

“This is part of a series of socio-economic projects we have collectively helped to fund over recent years including Campus Whitehaven, the Bus Station and more.

“Our socio-economic agenda is an important part of our legacy as we continue to make progress against our decommissioning mission and we’re committed to working with local partners to co-create future projects that help to strengthen and diversify the local economy.”

John Maddison, managing director of iSH which will have its base in Cleator Moor, said: “This is an exciting day for iSH and we thank those in Copeland Borough Council, the NDA and Sellafield who have given our programme their support and this vital financial backing.

“We have ambitious plans to bring opportunity and prosperity to the area through industry, business, skills and social programmes which will make a positive difference to people;s lives and regenerate communities across West Cumbria.

“iSH is an initiative of regional, national and international significance which will create jobs, opportunities for businesses and organisations to collaborate, enhance skills, provide business support, and bring a range of economic, environmental and social benefits to the community.

“We will build on the industry excellence of Sellafield and its supply chain and through collaboration will turn that into opportunities for businesses and organisations to grow and create more skills, training and employment.”

A range of businesses, entrepreneurs and organisations have already been actively involved in conversations with iSH about wanting to take space on the soon-to-be revitalised Leconfield Industrial Estate in Cleator Moor.

iSH’s economic assessment has estimated that the initial redevelopment of the Leconfield Industrial Estate and land owned by Copeland Borough Council, supported through Town Deal, will generate more than 100 new jobs over a period of 18 months, with the overall scheme creating more than 700 new jobs in the next 10 to 15 years.

A community-led initiative, iSH is also already inspiring young people in Copeland.

More than 100 schoolchildren from St Patrick’s and Montreal schools found out about exciting opportunities iSH will create at a community launch held in Cleator Moor.

John said: “It’s important for everyone that schools and the whole community have a clear pathway to the opportunities that will be created through iSH. It is a genuinely inclusive programme which offers jobs, skills, and training opportunities for all, including those who otherwise might be overlooked.”

Part of the initial funding for the iSH project comes through the Cleator Moor Town Deal. The Town Deal Board, working with Copeland Borough Council, secured an offer of £22.5m from Government in June 2021 to deliver its Town Investment Plan which will help the area and its communities to thrive for years to come.

One of the Investment Plan projects is Enterprising Town, Phase 1 of iSH to develop new facilities at the Leconfield Estate in Cleator Moor in order to harness new employment opportunities for the community and to attract further investment and skills to the area. The Town Deal project at Leconfield focuses on utilising funding offered by the Government and other sources to create a new, flexible hub and commercial building space as well as improvements and landscaping to the existing site, benefiting both the community and estate tenants through the longer term development of skills and
business support.

On July 27, 2019, the Prime Minister announced that the Towns Fund would support an initial 101 places across England to develop Town Deal proposals, to drive economic regeneration and deliver long-term economic and productivity growth. See further details of the announcement: PM speech at Manchester Science and Industry Museum – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
A Town Deal is an agreement in principle between government, the Lead Council and the Town Deal Board.

It will set out a vision and strategy for the town, and what each party agrees to do to achieve this vision. See the 101 places being supported to develop Town Deals: list-of-100-places.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Each of the 101 towns selected to work towards a Town Deal also received accelerated funding for investment in capital projects that would have an immediate impact and help places “build back better” in the wake of Covid-19. View a list of accelerated funding by place: towns-fund-accelerated-funding-grants.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)
To find out how to get involved with iSH email info@ishco.co.uk

A FOCAL point of one of Cumbria’s most iconic skylines is set to be demolished – but not before a team of local experts complete an essential trial run to ensure the job can be carried out safely.

The Pile 1 iconic chimney has dominated the landscape over Sellafield for decades, but it will be brought down in the coming years as the structure is decommissioned.

Ahead of the demolition job, a collaboration of Cumbrian firms plan to construct a replica of the chimney and then use new hydraulic equipment to demolish it to prove that the chosen methods would work.

A planning application has been submitted to Copeland Borough Council to demolish the bespoke concrete ring which will be created to accurately replicate the chimney with the same circumference of 15m, but only 7m in height. The dummy structure will be cut down with a newly developed Hydraulic SPIDA machine designed by ADAPT, a joint venture consisting of companies Doosan Babcock, Atkins and Orano.

The SPIDA structure is being fabricated by Glasgow company Cairnhill Structures. It is planned that the machine and the mock concrete barrel will be transported to Leconfield Industrial Estate, in Cleator Moor, to be tested and commissioned before two rows are cut out as a trial ahead of the actual work at Sellafield.

The trial is being facilitated by engineering firm Forth at the request of ADAPT. Forth has bases across Cumbria including the proposed trial site at Leconfield.

The trial run is standard procedure within the nuclear industry and is deemed necessary to ensure working practices are safe and sustainable ahead of any demolition work on an active, potentially hazardous, site.The trial works could last up to two years and, with an average of 30 people required on site each day, it is expected the project will create further job opportunities in Cumbria and also accelerate the plans for regeneration in Cleator Moor.

Graham Cartwright, the projects director at Forth, said: “What we are hoping to achieve with this project is to showcase the phenomenal talent and capabilities of the workforce in Cumbria to complete the required demolition job as part of such a major and landmark project for the local area.

“It’s about keeping, and creating, jobs locally, and preventing the workforce having to travel to Scotland to complete the project, thus reducing the carbon footprint of the project.

“Working together we can display all the skills needed and it will be a huge benefit to Cleator Moor and Cumbria for the job to be carried out locally.”

Paul Terry, Project Director for ADAPT said: “This proposal will make use of an unused area of the Leconfield Industrial Estate. It supports our desire to keep things local, reduce travel and use local resources and supply chain wherever possible.

“This innovative project for Sellafield will also bring additional focus to the industrial estate as it starts to make progress with its regeneration plan.”

On completion of the trial work, the site at Leconfield will be cleared and returned to a similar condition to its current state.

Leconfield Industrial Estate, where this work is due to take place, is part of a wider Industrial Solutions Hub (iSH) campus which will enable further collaboration between industry and SMEs, creating employment and helping to regenerate communities across West Cumbria.

YOUNG people have been inspired to work as a team on a social enterprise initiative thanks to a collaboration with an organisation which aims to help transform their community.

Children at Montreal Primary School in Cleator Moor worked on an eight-week Bright Stars programme with iSH, a transformative initiative for Copeland and West Cumbria, bringing employment, skills and training opportunities to regenerate communities and make a positive difference to people’s lives.

iSH, which will create 700 jobs in West Cumbria, is working in collaboration with industry, SMEs, schools, academia, charities, and community to ensure opportunities created in Cleator Moor and beyond are open to everyone.

iSH linked up with students and teachers at Montreal Primary School through the Centre for Leadership Performance’s Bright Stars initiative and helped mentor the children to create their own successful social enterprise initiative.

The Bright Stars 2022 competition challenged pupils to partner with local businesses to create their own social enterprises to ‘make a profit and make a difference’. More than 50 schools were each given £50 seed funding to begin their business.

At Montreal Primary School the students wanted to make a difference to people’s lives by putting positive messages on their bespoke arts and craft products to make them smile.

A total of 19 children at the school, aged seven and eight, formed the Positive Perseverance Company, and raised money for charity by making and selling more than 50 bracelets, 30 positive message keyrings, 20 tie dye scrunchies, and 10 tie dye bags.

The children created marketing posters to ensure their merchandise sold out. They even reinvested some of their profits to buy ice lollies which they sold for more profit.

After marathon man Gary McKee, who is raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support and Hospice at Home West Cumbria by running 365 marathons in 365 days this year, ran with the children on a short school run, they were inspired to donate half of their £166 profit to Gary’s charities. The rest is reinvested back into the school.

Mark Pattinson, Montreal Primary School teacher, who led the project working with iSH representative Sarah Watt, said: “It was a great initiative to be involved in as it married a lot of the things that we talk about, including teamwork and life skills, as well as maths and design and technology, and put them into practice in one social enterprise project.

“The children really enjoyed helping people. They wanted to do something with positive messages on because they know some people have had a very tricky couple of years.
“They were very keen on art and craft related products as those were things they said they would want to buy themselves. They did some market research about the type of products and the pricing, and they were proved right as they all sold out – in fact they were so popular we could not make them fast enough, they were selling so well!

“What was particularly pleasing was the way they all collaborated, shared ideas, and
really worked as a team.”

Sarah Watt, who was representing iSH in supporting the project, said: “The children were all amazing. Their ideas were brilliant and they put in a lot of effort and hard work.

They fully deserved the success they achieved. I hope they have been inspired about the opportunities which are open to them in the future.”

John Maddison, managing director of iSH, said: “Congratulations to all the young people involved for showing such impressive initiative, creativity and business acumen.

“Collaboration, teamwork, innovation, and inclusivity are all key to iSH and it’s great to see the younger generation showing these skills and attributes. Hopefully many will become young entrepreneurs and innovators and will bring their own energy and enthusiasm to the region’s business eco-system and community in years to come.

“Thanks also to Mark, Sarah, and all the teaching and support staff at Montreal Primary School for their energy and enthusiasm to help make this Bright Stars project such a success and to the Centre for Leadership Performance for their expertise in running such a popular and inspiring programme. It’s another example of the power and impact of true collaboration across our community.”

The Centre for Leadership Performance’s Bright Stars programme is now in its 10th year, encouraging leadership and entrepreneurship from a young age and developing relationships between Cumbrian businesses and primary schools. More than 1,000 young people took part in this year’s competition.

Executive director at the Centre for Leadership Performance Sarah Glass said: “We have seen more magnificent efforts and creativity from the children as they rose to this year’s Bright Stars challenge. We hope that it will enable the schools and businesses to forge on-going relationships and that the children build on their ideas and continue to make a difference in their local communities and for themselves.”

MORE than 50 businesses have expressed an interest in becoming tenants of iSH’s innovative enterprise campus planned for West Cumbria.

Work is set to start next month on the redevelopment of the Leconfield site in Cleator Moor which forms part of the iSH programme to create 700 jobs and regenerate communities.

The work is part of Enterprising Town, one of four projects in the Cleator Moor Town Deal which secured an offer of £22.5 million from the Government’s Towns Fund last year.

Enterprising Town will include the redevelopment of existing buildings on Leconfield industrial estate and also create new buildings on site, including an Enterprise Campus Hub.

Tenderers for the skip clearance contract are being evaluated with a decision imminent. The skip clearance will be completed by the end of the summer.

A contract to refurbish some of the existing buildings has been awarded to Galliford Try.

Work is due to start on refurbishing units 20A and 20B next month.

An announcement on Town Deal Funding is due by the end of the year.

John Maddison, managing director of iSH, said: “The levels of interest in organisations wanting to be part of this exciting opportunity at Leconfield are really encouraging.

“The Enterprising Town project will be a catalyst for what iSH is looking to achieve in Cleator Moor and across the wider West Cumbria community by bringing a range of organisations together and, through genuine collaboration, creating jobs and opportunities which will regenerate communities and transform people’s lives.”

The campus will also include extensive landscaping to increase biodiversity on-site by 10 per cent while improving public areas and creating new cycle and footpaths to connect the site with wider areas of Cleator Moor.

For more information on the Cleator Moor Town Deal, visit cleatormoortowndeal.org.uk

THE iSH team have been busy engaging with a diverse mix of industry, academia, SMEs, charities and community organisations across the North of England and other parts of the UK to maximise the opportunity to transform communities across West Cumbria.

iSH Managing Director John Maddison has led discussions which will ensure Cleator Moor and the surrounding area is at the forefront of developments.

Cyber is just one of the opportunities. “We are looking at the possibilities to extend the NW Cyber corridor into Cumbria. Plans at the moment cover an area from Manchester to Lancaster – we want to extend that to West Cumbria,” said John.

Skills is another – all the way from primary school, through to further education and adult learning with an opportunity to focus on technical skills.

John said: “We are working on a whole range of education initiatives, from discussing plans to bring technical skills into primary education to increasing the university presence in West Cumbria.

“We are also looking to support a work experience programme where different businesses and organisations across Cleator Moor collaborate to offer meaningful work experience for young people to have opportunities to develop their practical skills and see if that is a career they want to pursue.”

Through all the discussions iSH is looking to form partnerships, and bring organisations together to maximise the opportunity.

“iSH is about joining the dots and, where organisations and activity already exist, it’s about bringing all that together. If through that process we reveal that some gaps do exist, it’s understanding why that is, and then looking at what is the best way to fill those gaps so we ultimately achieve our aim of transforming a place and its communities. Partnerships and collaboration are absolutely key to making that happen.”

John was a guest at the Nuclear Industry Association‘s Decom 2022 and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority‘s Supply Chain events last month, attended by a range of innovative Cumbrian businesses and organisations as well as other leading companies from around the UK.

John said: “Gaining a greater understanding of the nuclear decommissioning industry’s needs, as well as the supply chain’s capabilities to be able to meet them, provided invaluable insight.

“It was also great to hear the focus on innovation and social value throughout the presentations, as well as the potential to export.”

This week Copeland Borough Council submitted its Levelling Up Fund Bid to the Government to support further iSH developments in Cleator Moor and the surrounding area.

iSH has also established a Cleator Moor group where it feeds back to community representatives every month on progress being achieved and gives the community a chance to help shape the activity to ensure it fits with what residents and businesses see as priorities for the area.

From those discussions a series of community events are being planned by iSH in Cleator Moor in September, including street art, street theatre and a three-day festival. More details to follow.

*iSH will soon be looking to recruit to its team. Keep an eye on our website and social media channels for more information about opportunities to join the iSH team.

AN EVENT promoting collaboration between businesses in the Sellafield supply chain has been heralded by the managing director of an initiative created to grow jobs and regenerate communities as the ‘perfect way’ to achieve economic growth.

Independent firms which work with Sellafield were invited to the organisation’s Engineering Centre of Excellence Showcase Event at Leconfield Industrial Estate, in Cleator Moor, to encourage SMEs in the area to connect with each other with the potential to work together in the future.

The industrial estate is due to be part of a wider Industrial Solutions Hub (iSH) campus to promote collaboration between industry, SMEs, academia and other organisations, bringing a wide range of employment, skills and training opportunities to the town and helping to regenerate communities across West Cumbria.

Launched in March, iSH is an initiative led by Copeland Borough Council with the support of key stakeholders including Sellafield, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership and private sector supply chain partners.

iSH Managing Director John Maddison attended the showcase event and said similar collaboration initiatives are key to help grow jobs and opportunities and make a positive difference to people’s lives across the community.

He said: “By launching iSH, we have big ambitions to regenerate communities in the local area, and we are investing in the area and the people with the aim of creating more than 700 jobs.

“Our whole ethos is around collaboration between industry, businesses, schools and other organisations to all pull together, support each other, throw work each other’s way and take the outstanding work which goes on in this area to a global audience.

“World class work is already carried out at Leconfield Industrial Estate on a daily basis, but it is our vision to refurbish and reinvigorate the area to make it a more appealing place for more businesses to come and set up.

“Events such as the Sellafield Showcase are the perfect way to encourage and support businesses working together, and introduce SMEs to business connections they may not have previously known existed.”

The Showcase Event was organised to allow companies which conduct work on behalf of Sellafield to connect with one another, and help build a business community built on collaboration.

Rexel Industrial Solutions, which has a base in Whitehaven’s Moresby Park, carries out electrical and instrumentation work at Sellafield, and was delighted to be given the opportunity to network with potential new partners.

John Franklin, the firm’s industrial sales engineer, said: “As a company, we provide a lot of solutions to Sellafield and within the team we have people we can call on to assist with expert technical input.

“As we are a large company, events like this allow us to show we have access to hundreds of companies that stand behind us so we can highlight that to Sellafield and open doors to other companies to join in the network. It lets businesses who could benefit from our services talk to engineers to explain how we can work together.”

Craig Branney, Sellafield’s Head of Off-Site Developments, said events like the showcase highlight how essential collaboration is in growing business.

He said Sellafield was in a privileged position to be working with so many talented SMEs and it was great to shine a light on the great work they carry out and share it with other businesses who could benefit from a more joined-up approach of working.

Craig said: “This is about us pulling everybody together and proving that by collaborating we can achieve amazing things.

“While the Engineering Centre of Excellence is a Sellafield facility, it is here for the benefit of the local community and we want more people to use it.

“Open days such as this are getting people together onsite and sharing some of Sellafield’s challenges with people within our supply chain who have the solutions.”

BUSINESSES across Copeland will come together at the Mayor’s third Open For Business Conference next week.
The event, sponsored by Sellafield Ltd, will see two programmes launched, the Industrial Solutions Hub (iSH) and Reboot, as the scene is set for how the borough moves forward in a post Covid 19 world.

As the county moves forward with Local Government Reorganisation this is the council’s last year as Copeland Borough Council. Next year Copeland will become part of the new Cumberland Council.

Mayor of Copeland, Mike Starkie, said: “This is about how Copeland ends well, this is the legacy we are leaving behind for the businesses and community as we merge to become Cumberland Council next year.

“iSH will change the fortunes of those living in Cleator Moor. The concept is innovative, exciting and will lift the aspirations of those living and working in the town. It will also attract world class businesses to the area. Its reach can be global.

“Reboot pushes forward the levelling up agenda which we have seen benefit our communities already. With Reboot social impact schemes will be supported by more companies.

“I’ve been proud to serve the people of Copeland for  seven years and we are leaving the borough in a strong position and have set stepping stones in place for the new council to be just as successful, as long as we step up – together.”

John Maddison, managing director for iSH, said: “We are delighted to be officially launching iSH at the Open For Business Conference.

“iSH is about Making Ideas Work. It’s about creating the environment for jobs, employment, skills and training opportunities. It’s about entrepreneurs, businesses and industry coming together to collaborate and design, develop and manufacture innovative solutions. And most of all, through that success and business growth, it’s about making a positive difference to people’s lives and regenerating a community.

“It’s very rare you get this kind of opportunity to bring new opportunities to a place and to make such a positive difference in that place as iSH will do in Copeland and across West Cumbria.”

During the pandemic the council’s Social Impact team were instrumental in coordinating the community response. Over the past two years their reach has grown and Reboot has been conceived.

It will see the public and private sector come together to offer real change and opportunities in our borough.

Businesses across Copeland, of whatever size, are invited to come together and grow our ability to make real change.

Pat Graham, chief executive of Copeland Borough  Council, said: “This has been an ambition of this council for many years. We have seen first hand what difference we can make within the community with commitment, support, time and money.

“We are blessed with some national and international companies in Copeland and it is their responsibility to join us in providing initiatives which will really get to the heart of social issues some of our residents feel. With the cost of living increasing exponentially the time is now to get involved and make a difference. On March 24 we will show businesses how.”

Hundreds of jobs are set to be created after a regeneration initiative of regional, national and international significance gained vital backing.
The Industrial Solutions Hub (iSH) will bring a range of economic and social benefits to West Cumbria through wide-ranging projects which will have a positive impact on people, the economy, the community and the environment.

Based in Cleator Moor, iSH has been given the backing of Copeland Borough Council which signals the start of iSH pushing ahead with its exciting plans which will lead to hundreds of jobs.

iSH will create a solutions hub where businesses in Cumbria will be able to collaborate and work with other specialist companies from around the UK and the rest of the world to deliver solutions to industry challenges which can then be exported around the globe, helping organisations expand and create further job opportunities.

In addition, iSH aims to create a hub where research and development can take place, ideas can be developed and products manufactured. It will also offer business support.

At a meeting on Tuesday Copeland Council agreed to the establishment of the iSH company as a wholly owned ‘arms-length’ private company funded by Sellafield and the NDA in its early years.

John Maddison, iSH programme director, said: “This is a hugely significant day for iSH and we thank Copeland Borough Council, Sellafield and the NDA for their vision and their commitment to a programme which will help regenerate lives and businesses as well as an entire community.

“iSH is about Making Ideas Work. It’s about creating the environment for jobs, employment, skills and training opportunities, it’s about entrepreneurs, businesses and industry coming together to collaborate and design, develop and manufacture innovative solutions. And, most of all, through that success and business growth, it’s about making a positive difference to people’s lives and regenerating a community.

“It will be a massive boost for Cleator Moor and West Cumbria bringing hundreds of people to the area for their daily business. They may decide to live here, they will certainly spend their money here.”

Copeland Borough Council chief executive Pat Graham said: “This is a once in a generation opportunity for the Cleator Moor community, it will be at the heart of an initiative which will bring wide-ranging benefits to the whole Copeland community.

“The iSH project aims to capitalise on the world-leading capability that exists within the Sellafield Ltd site, its workforce and supply chain, to grow capability beyond Sellafield Ltd and its mission, to provide a wider breadth of opportunity for businesses and individuals in the local economy, to encourage diversity and innovation, to provide new job opportunities and improve social conditions for local communities.

“In the medium term the iSH Company will enable the local economy to diversify into new sectors, markets and industries utilising existing expertise to allow business activities to develop, grow and export.

“Through this, the ambition is to make the region a Centre of Excellence for businesses and business activities which are not solely related to the Sellafield site.

“For the town, investment will come flooding in and the opportunities created will benefit every generation.”
Part of the initial funding for the iSH project comes through the Cleator Moor Town Deal. The Town Deal Board, working with Copeland Borough Council, secured an offer of £22.5m from Government in June 2021 for five different projects which will help the area and its communities to thrive for years to come.

One of these projects is Enterprising Town, Phase 1 of iSH to develop new facilities at the Leconfield Estate in Cleator Moor in order to harness new employment opportunities for the community and to attract further investment and skills to the area.

The Town Deal project at Leconfield focuses on utilising funding offered by the Government and other sources to create a new, flexible hub and commercial building space as well as improvements and landscaping to the existing site, benefiting both the community and estate tenants through the longer term development of skills and business support.

John said: “iSH, in partnership with the Town Deal, is about people and the regeneration of a place. It’s very rare you get this kind of chance to bring new opportunities to a place and to make such a positive difference in that place.

“There is so much capability in the local community. I can’t see anywhere else in the UK which has the opportunity to grab hold of such innovative capability and evolve it into something more, something bigger, something different.

“We have a unique opportunity here to work together to bring about positive change.”

The whole of the Town Deal’s Enterprising Town project is due to be completed in the next two to five years. The full larger site across Cleator Moor is likely to be complete in the next 10 to 15 years.

AN opportunity to positively influence thousands of people’s lives across a community by creating hundreds of job opportunities through collaboration doesn’t come along every day.

That’s why John Maddison speaks with such passion and personal commitment when he talks about the vision for iSH – the Industrial Solutions Hub.

Cleator Moor hasn’t always been first in the queue when it comes to being at the centre of major projects of national and international significance.

But the Cleator Moor community is at the beating heart of iSH. That’s why managing director John is so focused on working in collaboration with a range of different organisations, businesses and individuals to deliver the vision.

“It’s very rare you get this kind of opportunity to bring new opportunities to a place and to make such a positive difference in that place,” said John.

“iSH is about Making Ideas Work. It’s about creating the environment for jobs, employment, skills and training opportunities, it’s about entrepreneurs, businesses and industry coming together to collaborate and design, develop and manufacture innovative solutions. And most of all, through that success and business growth, it’s about making a positive difference to people’s lives and regenerating a community.

“This is about creating opportunities for all. It’s about working with the community, working with the different groups and really understanding what those employment opportunities might look like and what is needed to turn that into reality.”

iSH is an initiative of regional, national and international significance which will create jobs, opportunities for businesses and organisations to collaborate, enhance skills, provide business support, and bring a range of economic and social benefits to the community through projects which will have a positive impact on people, the economy, and the environment.

iSH will create a solutions hub where businesses in the region will be able to collaborate and work with other specialist companies from around the UK and the rest of the world on delivering solutions to industry challenges which can then be exported around the globe, helping organisations expand and create further job opportunities.

iSH also aims to create a hub where research and development can take place, ideas can be developed and products manufactured.

Part of the initial funding for the iSH project comes through the Cleator Moor Town Deal, which secured an offer of £22.5m from Government in July 2021 for five different projects which will help the area and its communities to thrive for years to come.

One of these projects is Enterprising Town – a £16.5 million scheme part-funded through a £7 million contribution through Towns Fund – to develop new facilities at the Leconfield Estate in Cleator Moor in order to harness new employment opportunities for the community and to attract further investment and skills to the area.

The Town Deal project at Leconfield focuses on utilising funding offered by the Government and other sources to create a new, flexible hub and commercial building space as well as site improvements and landscaping, benefiting both the community and estate tenants through the longer term development of skills and business support.

John said: “There is so much capability in the local community. I can’t see anywhere else in the UK which has the opportunity to grab hold of such innovative capability and evolve it into something more, something bigger, something different.

“We have a unique opportunity here to work together to bring about positive change and to establish West Cumbria globally for something other than Sellafield.

“The key to delivery is a collaborative mindset. If we can combine all of that capability, all of those skills, bring them together, you can multiply the effect.

“The temptation as a business is to do it yourself and do your own thing. But If you are a business which is looking to grow or which is looking to move into a different industry then there will be others out there who can help you achieve that.

“iSH will help create those opportunities by bringing the right organisations, whether that’s academic, research, national bodies or Catapults, together with businesses and industry to increase those capabilities on anything from national infrastructure projects to solving individual problems. It’s about finding the right team for each opportunity.”

John brings his experience from running a similar operation within global business Jacobs which provided solutions to complex problems within the nuclear industry, including in nuclear decommissioning and power generation.

He has first-hand experience of what can be achieved through the power of collaboration and of industry working together with SMEs and micro SMEs.

“That side of the business at Jacobs grew fivefold in seven years. The opportunity in West Cumbria is to get something like this up and running and allow it to evolve and grow the regional capability. When you get organisations collaborating you build up that capability.”

The whole of the new Enterprising Town is due to be completed in the next two to five years. The full larger site across Cleator Moor is likely to be complete in the next 10 to 15 years.

John said: “We will be working collaboratively with Sellafield and the supply chain. Every type of organisation will be involved, whether large or small, academic, or skills and training, there will be a huge variety of businesses and organisations involved and creating employment.

“Some companies that are already established in West Cumbria will thrive and grow there. We want larger companies to come and be part of this as well. There may be other companies which don’t even exist yet which want to get involved.

“It will be a massive boost for Cleator Moor and West Cumbria bringing hundreds of people to the area for their daily business. They may decide to live here, they will certainly spend their money here.”

So in ten years time when iSH has achieved its aims and hundreds of jobs have been created and the benefit to the Cleator Moor community and across West Cumbria is there for all to see, what will John look back on with most satisfaction?

“iSH in partnership with the Town Deal is about people and the regeneration of a place. So to be able to look back and see that we have made a real difference and changed people’s opportunities and changed people’s lives, and that the town has been regenerated, shops are filled, houses are filled, new businesses are springing up, I don’t think anything could make me more proud than that.”