Hellyar Plastics has invested in the Sage ERP 1000 package, from Birmingham-based business solutions provider CPiO, which provides improved systems for data handling.

The solution and support from CPiO is increasing company efficiency by integrating all business processes, providing support for Hellyar Plastics’ ongoing ambitious expansion plans. The company is expanding its business to meet growing demand in Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and the Far East.

Hellyar Plastics, based in Whitstable, Kent, required a more supportive and integrated ERP system to aid business processes, as its systems no longer met its requirements.

Mark Taylor, IT manager at Hellyar Plastics, said: “Our existing systems were very disjointed. We realised that we were wasting time operating within several disparate programmes and that it was becoming too complicated to maintain our data. We needed an integrated system that could increase our efficiency by reducing the number of systems that we were using at the same time and providing better information.

“As a growing company actively looking to expand, we wanted a package that had the scalability to both support our expansion and grow with us. We conducted a thorough review of the market and found that Sage ERP 1000, recommended by CPiO, was the only solution that could fully meet all of our requirements. The system will allow us to analyse our costs and business development as well as managing batch traceability far more effectively.

“The benefits of a single system seamlessly coordinating sales, finance, manufacturing and purchasing were immediately obvious, allowing us to make optimum use of resources to support our growth plans. Sage ERP 1000 will definitely be a factor in the continuing success of Hellyar Plastics.”

Phil Snowe, sales consultant at CPiO, said: “After spending time understanding Hellyar Plastic’s key business requirements, I am confident that the Sage ERP 1000 solution will deliver the rapid return on investment the company is seeking.”

Key features of Sage ERP 1000 include:

•    Full supply chain management

•    Marketing and sales management

•    Strong manufacturing functionality

•    Job costing for improved project management

The business benefits include:

•    Eliminate duplication and rekeying of information

•    See a single view of your data

•    No need to delve into other systems to get answers

•    Improve accuracy and increase customer service levels

Operating for over 50 years, Hellyar Plastics is the UK’s leading independent compounder and distributor of thermoplastics. The company has operations throughout the UK, Ireland and mainland Europe.

CPiO is a privately-owned company based in the West Midlands. It offers bespoke business solutions which address a range of business needs. As one of the top five resellers of Sage’s mid range software in the UK, CPiO will provide Hellyar Plastics with complete software support. 



(l-r) Naz and Andy Sanderson, owners of Red Hen Cookery, with Charlotte Fullard from Halls Commercial

A husband and wife team are set to cook up a storm in Worcester after expanding their catering business and creating employment opportunities.

Andy and Naz Sanderson, owners of Red Hen Cookery, have signed a five-year lease with Worcester-based agents Halls Commercial for Unit 1, Oak House on the Everoak Estate in Bromyard Road.

The couple previously ran their business from home, delivering freshly made lunches to local nurseries as well as running a mobile cookery school, which provides courses for members of the public in conjunction with local and national organisations.

The new unit, which measures 1,362 sq ft, provides ample space to build two kitchens – one for commercial use and the other for hosting their own cookery courses. Working in partnership with Worcestershire County Council, Red Hen Cookery is also hoping to establish Independent Living Cookery Courses for adults with special needs and disabilities.

Naz said: “We had completely outgrown our home kitchen and the mobile cookery school was also becoming very popular, especially with existing customers asking for more courses. Having our own teaching kitchen will give us the freedom to meet our customers’ needs with courses during the day, evenings and at weekends.

“We hope to offer an extensive range of services at the cookery school at an affordable price, enabling everyone to enjoy good food and learn a new skill. From children’s after school and holiday clubs to adult courses, weekend family cookery experiences to specialist courses like sugar craft, butchery and a wine connoisseur who can tell people which wines go with certain foods. Hopefully there will be something for everyone!

“We also want to expand our catering services to include event catering for anything from a business lunch to weddings. As the business grows, we will be looking to employ more local people to cope with the demand.”

Charlotte Fullard, senior surveyor at Halls Commercial, said: “Oak House is the perfect place for Red Hen Cookery to grow. With clients in Worcester and the surrounding areas, it was important for Naz and Andy to find a central location with enough space to accommodate the catering side of the business as well as the cookery school.

“As they plan to do a lot of work with people with special needs and disabilities, there is the added bonus of having a bus stop right outside of the unit. This means that their courses will be accessible to more people. For customers who will be driving, there are five allocated parking spaces at the unit. We wish Andy and Naz the best of luck with their expansion plans for the business.”

Halls Commercial provides specialist commercial property services to a wide range of clients throughout the Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire and wider Midlands region.

The Jewellery Quarter BID, which is being led by the Jewellery Quarter Development Trust (JQDT) in partnership with Birmingham City Council, aims to attract investment, increase visitor numbers and encourage a more vibrant economy, while making the area a better place in which to work, invest and live.

Over 500 local businesses are being asked to vote to support the initiative, which will see companies with premises with a rateable value of £10,000 and above pay an annual levy of 2% to fund additional investment for the benefit of the whole area. The voting ballot, which commenced on 17^th April 2012, will run for five weeks until 24^th May.

Ray Linforth (pictured), who is also a member of the BID Steering Group, said: “The biggest agenda for me is ensuring a cleaner, tidier and safer environment for our staff and students. UCB, which was recently judged outstanding by Ofsted, has a student base of mainly 16-24 year olds, with a large majority of these being female. We also have many international students who come to this huge city. That can often be a quite daunting experience so it’s crucial we make them feel welcome and, more importantly, safe.

“Outlined in the BID Prospectus are plans to employ street ambassadors who would act as helpful guides for people visiting the Quarter. A number of students have commented that a similar scheme introduced by the Colmore Row BID was very useful when they asked for information about where to go and suggestions on what to do in the city centre.

Ray also feels that tackling dereliction and improving the connection between the Jewellery Quarter and the city centre – both issues recognised in the BID Prospectus – is imperative.

“UCB currently owns a derelict building in the Jewellery Quarter and we are working with the JQDT and BID committee to change that. We are also continuing to invest heavily in the area by developing a new campus on land bounded by George Street, Holland Street and Charlotte Street.”

Ray added: “I encourage businesses to vote ‘Yes’ to the JQ BID to ensure that the Quarter remains a place that students, particularly international ones, are proud to call home while they are studying.

We need more businesses like us to invest in the Quarter and a BID status will give it more gravitas to encourage companies to open up regional offices or even headquarters in the area.”

The board of the JQDT decided in early-summer 2011 to support the BID proposal and develop the initiative in partnership with Birmingham City Council. Being a Community Interest Company, the JQDT is made up of key community and stakeholder organisations from within the Jewellery Quarter, including the Jewellery Quarter Association, the Jewellery Quarter Marketing Initiative, the Jewellery Quarter Trade Alliance and the Jewellery Quarter Neighbourhood Forum.

The Trust Board agreed that a levy of 2% should be set on all properties with a rateable value of £10,000 and above and that the Jewellery Quarter BID area would be defined as the area bounded by the Jewellery Quarter side of Great Charles Street, Livery Street, Great Hampton Street, Key Hill Drive, Icknield Street, Sandpits/The Parade and Summer Row.

The BID would help to improve the Jewellery Quarter in many ways, including providing a welcoming environment for visitors, clean and safer streets, improving marketing to increase footfall and inward investment, and improving connectivity to the city centre.

Inspired by the Sheldon schoolboy’s selfless efforts to help fellow cancer victims, father-of-one Brian Bennett and friend Mel Castle have launched the Cycling for Harry event, which will take place on May 12 and 13.

It will see 27 friends cycle over 100 miles in two days – from Blakenhale School, in Sheldon, where Harry was a pupil, to Wembley Stadium in London – raising more than £10,000. Among those taking part will be Harry’s mother Georgie and brother Louis, aged 15, and former Birmingham City footballer Michael Johnson.

They will be joined by Tim Andrews, managing director of Tyseley-based signs and graphics specialist Hollywood Monster. The company has agreed to be the main sponsor of the event.

It will be followed on Sunday May 13 by Freeradio’s Walk for Harry, a 26-mile walk around Birmingham which will raise money for two charities close to Harry’s heart. Tim. Michael and Georgie, along with ‘Blind Dave’ Heeley, will complete the first leg of the cycle challenge and return to Birmingham to take part in the Walk for Harry.

More than 200 people recently attended an event at Hollywood Monster’s Birmingham headquarters to make over 6,000 of Harry’s trademark bracelets to sell during the walk to the thousands taking part.

Harry’s selfless story touched the hearts of tens of thousands of people across the globe, including many celebrities, as he raised more than £500,000 for Cancer Research UK by selling hand-made bracelets.

Georgie Moseley and Tim Andrews, of Hollywood Monster, are preparing for a cycling challenge and 26-mile walk in memory of Harry Moseley.

He rose to prominence in 2007 and attracted almost 100,000 followers on Twitter, coining the phrase ‘Help Harry Help Others’. Harry sadly died last October aged 11 as a result of an inoperable brain tumour.

Brian, aged 34, also from Sheldon, who works at Mereway Kitchens in Tyseley, said: “I became aware of Harry’s story and started following him on Twitter. Seeing how saddened everyone was on news of his death I decided I had to do something to continue Harry’s hard work, and the Brum to Wembley cycle ride was born.”

He added: “I’m delighted that Georgie and Louis will be joining us on what will be our tribute to Harry. The total distance will be approximately 104miles and it is going to be tough. We are all amateurs at cycling – some of us didn’t even own a bike until this challenge – so it is not a race. It’s purely about achieving the goal of fundraising and raising awareness about brain tumours so that we can continue the work that Harry started.”

Anyone that wants to support Cycling for Harry can visit www.cyclingforharry.co.uk, or www.justgiving.com/cyclingforharry, or text a donation to 70070 and type the code QXHE51£(your amount).

Georgie will be joined by family members when she takes part in Freeradio’s Walk for Harry on Sunday, May 13. The 26-mile walk around the city is expected to attract about 10,000 people. Freeradio station, which organises the event, said money raised would be split between Birmingham’s Children’s Hospital and the Acorns Children’s Hospice in Selly Oak.

A new initiative for Jewellery Quarter businesses to fund improvements in their area is music to the ears of a long established local venue.

The Jewellery Quarter BID, which is being led by the Jewellery Quarter Development Trust (JQDT) in partnership with Birmingham City Council, aims to attract investment, increase visitor numbers and encourage a more vibrant economy, while making the area a better place in which to work, invest and live.

Over 500 local businesses are being asked to vote to support the initiative, which will see companies with premises with a rateable value of £10,000 or above pay an annual levy of 2% to fund additional investment for the benefit of the whole area. The voting ballot, which commenced on 17^th April 2012, will run for five weeks until 24^th May.

John Bunce (pictured), managing director of The Jam House on St Paul’s Square, believes the BID will help to create autonomy in the community and make the area more attractive for people visiting and working in the Quarter.

John, who is also a director of the Jewellery Quarter Association (JQA) and sits on the BID Steering Group, said: “The Jewellery Quarter is a community that is constantly growing and the dynamics are changing on a regular basis. The area, well known for its manufacturing and jewellery industries, is also fast becoming a popular location for creative businesses, such as architects and designers, and residents.

“In the past, I have been frustrated with the lack of support from the City Council, for example when they have left roads and pavements unrepaired or broken signs have not been replaced. By becoming a Business Improvement District (BID), local businesses can set an agenda and priorities that meet their needs and get things done!”

However, John says we can’t just rely on the revenue raised from levy payers to improve the Quarter.

“I think all businesses can do their bit to ensure that the area is kept clean, tidy and presentable. As a bar operator there are times when there is broken glass outside or empty takeaway cartons strewn on the pavement from late night partygoers. We know accidents happen, especially when people have been drinking and having a good time, but I make a real effort to clean up anything that could make the Jam House look uninviting. All businesses need to ensure that the outside of their premises is kept clean from rubbish and cigarette ends, etc. We all have to take some responsibility for the area in which we work and live. Undoubtedly, a successful BID will encourage businesses to work together and take pride in their area.”

Confirmation that the police station will remain in the Jewellery Quarter has also come as a welcome relief to John and other licenced leisure businesses in the area.

“Having a bricks and mortar presence of police in the Quarter is very important as it reassures people that they can have a good night out in safe surroundings. However, if we do have an incident, we know it can be dispersed within minutes of alerting the authorities because they are already patrolling the area, whether it’s on foot, by bike or in the car.

“I’m confident that the BID will help to preserve and enhance the pleasant surroundings and safe environment that we already have in the Jewellery Quarter, to make it a destination that people want to visit – whether it’s for its heritage, jewellery or nightlife.”

The board of the JQDT decided in early-summer 2011 to support the BID proposal and develop the initiative in partnership with Birmingham City Council. Being a Community Interest Company, the JQDT is made up of key community and stakeholder organisations from within the Jewellery Quarter, including the Jewellery Quarter Association, the Jewellery Quarter Marketing Initiative, the Jewellery Quarter Trade Alliance and the Jewellery Quarter Neighbourhood Forum.

The Trust Board agreed that a levy of 2% should be set on all properties with a rateable value of £10,000 and above and that the Jewellery Quarter BID area would be defined as the area bounded by the Jewellery Quarter side of Great Charles Street, Livery Street, Great Hampton Street, Key Hill Drive, Icknield Street, Sandpits/The Parade and Summer Row.

The BID would help to improve the Jewellery Quarter in many ways, including providing a welcoming environment for visitors, clean and safer streets, improving marketing to increase footfall and inward investment, and improving connectivity to the city centre.

Miranda and Roland Ballard (Muddy Boots) with Charlotte Fullard from Halls Commercial (centre)

A dynamic Worcestershire duo are preparing to beef up their burger business, after moving to larger premises to aid their ambitious expansion plans.

Muddy Boots Foods, which was launched in 2008, is owned by husband and wife team Roland and Miranda Ballard. The Ballards decided to move from London and swap their high-flying media careers in the big smoke for the big grill to make gourmet burgers, which are already a hit with major supermarkets and restaurants.

The couple have recently signed a three-year lease for Unit 1, Hope House Farm, which was marketed by agents Halls Commercial. Located in the rural hamlet of Martley, near Malvern, Worcestershire, the company’s sales, marketing, finance and logistics departments will operate from the site.

Miranda said: “We set up the business three years ago from a converted barn on my father-in-law’s farm. While we loved the rural location, we were at the point where we needed more professional premises so we could expand our business and employ more people.

“We chose Hope House Farm because it is the perfect location for us to grow. We aim to triple the size of the company in the next twelve months. We already employ an office manager but could potentially hire six or seven more people over the next three years.

“The production of the burgers is outsourced to a Ludlow-based company, which is within easy reach of our Martley headquarters. The rural surroundings also means that we haven’t lost touch with our farming roots.”

Charlotte Fullard, senior surveyor at Worcester-based Halls Commercial, said: “Hope House Farm provides Muddy Boots Foodswith enough space to accommodate its ambitious, but achievable, expansions plans. We hope the products’ popularity continues to grow.”

Muddy Boots Foods products are stocked in 40 Waitrose stores, Budgens, Midcounties Co-Operative food stores, Ocado and some independent retailers. They also supply burgers and 21-day matured steaks to restaurants, as well as selling their products online via www.muddybootsfoodhall.co.uk.

Halls Commercial provides specialist commercial property services to a wide range of clients throughout the Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire and wider Midlands region.

Alf Pople and Angela Blakeway, of Anglo Holt Construction, at the launch of the Birch Coppice Colliery miners' memorial.

Anglo Holt Construction has celebrated playing a key role in the creation of a memorial dedicated to miners of a Midlands colliery.

West Bromwich-based Anglo Holt worked alongside IM Properties and two councillors in turning the vision of a mining memorial into reality.

Anglo Holt operations manager Alf Pople and managing director’s PA Angela Blakeway were invited to the official launch ceremony of the new memorial dedicated to miners of the former Birch Coppice Colliery at Dordon in North Warwickshire.

The memorial is situated next to the Gate House at IM Properties’ Birch Coppice Business Park on the site of the former colliery, which closed in 1987.

Local borough councillors Pete Morson and John Winter launched an appeal last year for former workers and relatives of deceased miners to get in touch so their names could be engraved onto the bricks that form the memorial.

The huge influx of more than 1,000 names from as far as Australia and Spain meant that the official opening had to be postponed to provide sufficient time for the extra engraving and construction to take place.

During the launch ceremony Cllr Morson, who worked at the mine with Cllr Winter, said: “We are all really pleased with the memorial. It is a fitting tribute to the mine and the mining community of Dordon.

“We were overwhelmed with names, information and photos from former Birch Coppice miners and their relatives across the world. At its heyday in the 1980s the site employed over 1,000 people, but we only expected to collect around 450 to 500 names as we knew that many of the workers moved away from the area when the pit closed in 1987. Some have moved abroad and others have sadly died.

“The fantastic response meant we needed extra time to engrave all the names and complete the construction with the superb support of Anglo Holt.”

Anglo Holt’s Alf Pople said: “We were delighted to be able to work alongside IM Properties to build this wonderful memorial. We have been involved with the company since activity began on the site of the Birch Coppice Business Park more than 11 years ago and it is testament to our excellent working relationship that we are still involved today. I’m sure that the memorial will be appreciated and enjoyed by former miners and their families for many years to come.”

The Birch Coppice Miners Memorial, standing over 10ft high and topped off with a 6ft tall replica of the famous Davy lamp used by underground workers, is located close to the entrance to Birch Coppice Business Park, which stands on the site of the former mine.

It was funded by a £50,000 donation from IM Properties, the Warwickshire-based company responsible for developing the Birch Coppice Business Park and generating over 2,500 jobs. Anglo Holt has worked alongside the company for more than 12 years and built many of the units at the business park.

Following its official launch the memorial will open to the public. For more information please visit the dedicated website: www.birchcoppicecollierymemorial.co.uk

Based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands, Anglo Holt has an annual turnover in excess of £50 million and employs around 100 people.
Its objective is to guarantee to deliver quality, reliability and added value throughout the total process of design, construction, project management and cost management.

Hollywood Monster, based in Tyseley, Birmingham, is seeking help in a bid to raise over £20,000 from the sale of the bracelets.
The day is being called ‘Selfless Saturday’ for the making of bracelets event which will take place at their Tyseley factory from 10’oclock on Saturday 28th April and to take part you will need to register your interest (see details below).

The good news is you won’t be alone. Hollywood Monster has invited several celebrities along, including some from the world of sport to help you get through the day. There will also be face painters, music, and a presentation at 10am explaining all about the charity.

Tim Andrews, Managing Director, Hollywood Monster, said; “We already have a large number of volunteers from our staff and their families, but we certainly need more. You don’t need to be an expert to take part. Making 7,500 bracelets is going to be fun, exciting, challenging and I know we can do it.”

The bracelets will be sold at many community events including the Walk for Harry on 13th May 2012. Standard bracelets will be sold for £1 each where all proceeds will go to the Harry Moseley Appeal. Special bracelets will cost £5 or a special offer of 3 for £10 with proceeds divided between the Acorns Children’s Hospice and Cancer Research.

Tim added; “ Our aim is to ensure that through the charity, money goes to cancer research, the acorns hospice and to families who themselves may have a member of their family or a friend suffering from cancer and are in need financial support at a very difficult time.”

To register your interest to take part then please email tim.andrews@hollywoodmonster.co.uk

For details about the Harry Moseley Appeal go to www.helpharryhelpothers.com

The event on Saturday starts at 10am and is expected to finish around 4pm.

The 1st Tidbury Green (Wythall) Scouts Group’s hut was originally built in 1972 and has since received minimal structural improvements. So a team of parents ­­­– dubbed the Panther Project – set out on a fundraising mission to help bring the building into the 21st century.

Phase one of the refurbishment – which comprised new toilet facilities, much needed heating, a refurbished hall, disabled access and a modern kitchen – was completed last year after the Panther Project raised £40,000.

With additional fundraising and a £50,000 grant from Veolia Environmental Trust, plus support from West Bromwich-based Anglo Holt Construction, phase two of the refurbishment has recently started and is due to be completed in July 2012. It will include storage rooms for canoes and camping equipment, additional meeting rooms and a quiet activity area.

Planning permission for the project was obtained thanks to Carl Sheppard, a director at Anglo Holt. Carl has two sons who have attended various clubs at Tidbury Green, such as Beavers and Scouts, and Carl himself was previously an executive committee member. He and wife Nicky have also hosted fundraising events to help raise money for the refurbishment.

Carl said: “As both my sons and I have spent a lot of time in the building, I just wanted to give something back to ensure the facility is around for the next generation of children to use and enjoy for many years to come. With my construction experience and knowledge, I was happy to help with the necessary steps to gain planning permission. The building is on Green Belt land so we had to demonstrate to the local authority planning department that we were providing unique facilities on the site that will benefit the whole community.
“Further to providing state-of-the art facilities for our current members, we hope the new facility will inspire the community to get behind the organisation and encourage more people to join the many groups that are run from the HQ.”

Anglo Holt also supported the project by sponsoring the cycle shirts for a Land’s End to John O’Groats charity bike ride last summer.

Based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands, Anglo Holt has an annual turnover in excess of £50 million and employs around 100 people. Its objective is to guarantee to deliver quality, reliability and added value throughout the total process of design, construction, project management and cost management.

Covent Garden interior

Potential buyers will need to act fast if they want to own one of sixteen newly built properties in the picturesque village of Colwall, Herefordshire, as six homes have already been sold.

Covent Gardens, a luxury development of two, three, four and five bedroom homes from Banner Homes, will consist of eight semi-detached and eight detached new build homes.

Properties on the development, which are being marketed by joint agents Halls and John Goodwin, are priced from £205,000.

Elsa Macfarlane, residential sales manager at Halls’ Worcester office, said: “This is a great opportunity for people to acquire a fantastic new home that has been finished to a very high specification.”

A two bedroom, semi detached home comes with a separate kitchen, sitting room, downstairs cloakroom, master bedroom with en suite facilities, additional bedroom, family bathroom, landscaped garden to the front and patio area/garden to the rear. All homes are also built with energy efficiency in mind as each are fitted with high levels of insulation, low energy lighting and rainwater harvesting equipment. Security is also a priority with each property featuring a multi-locking system to the front door.

The village of Colwall is surrounded by the picturesque rolling Malvern Hills and boasts a selection of cosy pubs, local greengrocers, a family butcher and traditional patisserie. The Malvern Hills are enriched with bridleways, cycle paths, hill forts, historical castles and unspoilt landscape making them perfectly equipped for families that enjoy the great outdoors. One of the oldest golf clubs in the country, Worcestershire Golf Club, is also situated nearby plus the historic Victorian spa town of Malvern provides a more extensive range of shops and recreational facilities.

Located just half a mile from Colwall Rail station, Covent Gardens benefits from convenient links to popular commuter destinations such as Great Malvern, Ledbury, London Paddington and Birmingham New Street. Easy access to the M5 and M50 also provides a direct route to Worcester, Cheltenham, Gloucester and Birmingham.

Families with young children are spoilt for choice with local schools – Colwall Church of England Primary School and The Downs Malvern College Preparatory School – and a selection of high standard secondary schools in nearby Malvern.

For further information or to book a viewing at Covent Gardens, contact Halls’ Worcester office on 01905 611066 or email info@hallsworcester.com.

Halls provides specialist property services to a wide range of clients throughout the Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire and wider Midlands Region.