Step Forward - Peterhead based Red Island Ltd have just
clinched their first deal with a national nursery chain.
Glasgow & Manchester based Bertram Group have become the
first chain to sign a deal to place Walkodile® into each of
their 28 locations.
Created by primary teacher Elaine Stephen, the company has
won a string of awards with Walkodile® including Grampian
Enterprise New Start Award & UK Invention of the Year. Up to
six children each wear a high visibility harness which links
them via a secure two-way connector to a flexible central
spine. This means the outing is more manageable for staff
and the walk is more relaxed and enjoyable for everyone.
Red Island MD, John Stephen said:
“We’re delighted to have clinched this order - the first
from a large childcare provider. We know new ideas take time
to be adopted into society, but customers love the product,
sales have been growing steadily and new opportunities are
now opening up for us in the UK & overseas.”
Bertram Chief Executive Graeme Scott said:
“This move sends a clear message to parents and the
communities we serve on the value we place on children’s
safety. This is our number one priority and using Walkodile®
underlines this. We believe this great innovation can only
add to our growing reputation as a national childcare
provider.”
Contact: John Stephen at Red Island Ltd on 01779 471871 or
Susan McGhee at Bertram Group on 0141 772 8496
For more information see
www.walkodile.com
PBF News recently noted the departure of Norma Pert from
Shell UK Limited’s Community Relations Department who was
given voluntary severance from Shell and left the Company at
the end of August.
Many local community and business groups have enjoyed
working with Norma over the years. PBF extends a warm thank
you to Norma for all of the valuable support and consistent
encouragement she gave on behalf of Shell to so many
projects.
PBF News wishes to take this opportunity to wish Norma all
the very best in the future at this new and exciting time
and to thank her for all her hard work in and around
Peterhead.
Her successor is:
John Raine
Communications Advisor
Shell U.K. Limited
1 Altens Farm Road
Nigg
Aberdeen
AB15 7TZ
John can be contacted as follows:
email: john.raine@shell.com
or telephone : 01224 884130
Burnside Business Centre
Enterprise North East Trust (Enterprise) manages Burnside
Business Centre on behalf of Aberdeenshire Council.
The centre has 22 offices ranging from 147 to 252 sq ft at
an all inclusive rental fee, starting from £316 per month.
This includes rent, electricity, cleaning, fire and security
alarms, use of common areas, building insurance and
telephone answering in your company name.
Conference & Meeting rooms at Burnside Business Centre
If you have a presentation to give, a client meeting or a
conference to host, then our professional meeting rooms can
create the right image for your company.
Our conference room can seat up to 12 people and hire
packages start from £20 per hour. The smaller meeting room
can seat up to 6 people and hire packages start from £10 per
hour.
Virtual Offices
The virtual office is the economical alternative to paying
monthly rent and is ideal for people working from home or
companies needing a Peterhead address. This package offers
an instant and flexible service and gives the impression you
have a professional office with telephone answering in the
name of your company, a mailing address from where you can
collect mail or have it redirected, and one day’s conference
room hire each month including refreshments. All this for
£110 per month + vat.
Standalone call answering (from £45 per month) and mailbox
facilities (from £15 per month) are also available.
For more information about offices, meeting rooms and
virtual offices at Burnside contact:
Phyllis Critten
T: 01779 822000
E:
property@enetrust.com
Local businessman revives specialist game company with
Aberdeenshire Council’s help
Local businessman, David Killoh today announced the revival
of his game meat business in Aberdeenshire having received
financial assistance from Aberdeenshire Council. David
Killoh Meat Co Ltd has re-emerged having undergone
liquidation in the wake of foot and mouth disease two years
ago.
David Killoh Meat Co began trading from Blackhouse
Industrial Estate in Peterhead in mid-August. The company
previously based in Aberdeen, processes game meat, red and
roe deer.
The company owner received a loan from Aberdeenshire Council
in the region of £14,000 which has been used to finance the
equipment needed to upgrade the new premises to export
approval standard.
David Killoh, the company owner, said: “I am grateful for
the support I have received through the council’s business
support scheme. Having gone through the highs of having a
successful business and the lows the impact of livestock
disease brought to my business it’s fantastic to be able to
resume trade.
“I see this opportunity as a fresh start and will be
building the business on my own to begin with, but may look
to take on more staff in future.
“With celebrity chefs like Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver
championing campaigns for well-reared, quality game I
foresee demand for my products grow as more supermarkets in
the UK look to stock it. Also, now that the UK meat trade
has regained its status following the foot and mouth
outbreak I can serve customers in Europe and beyond.“
Aberdeenshire Council's ‘Support for Aberdeenshire Business
Scheme’ provides businesses with assistance and financial
support. The food and drink processing sector is one target
area for development and businesses may be eligible to apply
for an interest free plant and equipment loan up to the
value of £15,000.
Councillor Peter Argyle, chairman of Aberdeenshire Council’s
Infrastructure Services Committee said: “Providing support
to local businesses is in the interests of the whole
Aberdeenshire economy. The loan provided to David Killoh
will allow him to expand the business, take on more staff
and increase sales.,
“The support we provide to businesses like David’s doesn’t
just stop at equipment finance. We can also provide future
assistance for the launch of new products or services that
the company develops, and support for training staff. The
business support scheme does just that – supports your
business.”
The Support for Aberdeenshire Business Scheme provides
financial assistance for businesses that operate in many
industries and other target areas
include:
• Businesses developing energy and waste efficiency or
renewable energy
technologies
• Community Trusts, business cooperatives and social
enterprises
carrying out feasibility studies or starting up new
commercial ventures
• Businesses looking to invest in the installation of
environmentally
sustainable processes and renewable energy projects to
assist in their processes
Businesses who do not fit with these target areas but who
are creating five or more jobs in any 6-month period can
also qualify for our support.
For further information on the scheme please contact
Christine Webster on
01346 519881 or e mail
christine.webster@aberdeenshire.co.uk
Building Industry – Effects Locally
The sudden downturn in the housing market locally and
nationally has been well documented over the last 4-5 months
and indeed August’s average number of transactions fell
further. The effect that this has had on the general
construction companies is possibly not so well known.
Our own committee member John Pascoe, a Chartered Quantity
Surveyor has been investigating this in Aberdeen and the
local area.
Builders-merchants have noticed a significant slowing down
from the outright house builders, but continued demand in
the commercial contracting as well as the house extension
sector. The general feeling is that it is not all doom and
gloom, despite what might be portrayed by the media
The busy house extensions market is being fulfilled by both
established contractors and also the ‘two men in a van’, who
may previously have worked on housing schemes for large
house builders.
The Peterhead based construction companies are still
reporting a very busy period with their traditional markets;
a knock-on effect from Aberdeen’s oil industry fuelled
buoyant economy.
One interesting, although unsurprising fact, is that a
sizeable local house builder is now looking to obtain work
in the general contracting field, where previously they had
specialised in only housing schemes.
Outwith the area to the South appears to be worst affected –
ie Dundee
The so called ‘credit crunch’ has become noticeable among
industry suppliers who are now reducing credit or even
requesting payment ‘up front’ for materials etc. We also
learn of various projects being suspended.
Civil Engineering contractors are reporting a slowing down
of enquiries and this had already had an effect on falling
tender prices, despite increasing prices of materials and
resources.
From a Quantity Surveying perspective the situation is quite
positive, primarily with greater availability of contractors
and labour. This in turn is leading to possibly more
competitive prices which is welcomed after the last 2 to 3
years of double figure % increases in tender prices.
Financial institutions are also generally increasing their
scrutiny of construction projects, which will lead to
increased workload for construction professionals.
Overall we report that the construction industry locally, is
relatively buoyant and optimistic for the future with
greater availability of labour easing pressures all round.
In Scotland and indeed locally the building industry will
require capacity for the construction projects of the
Commonwealth Games, Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route,
Energetica Corridor and maybe even the Trump Development.
Peterhead Puffers - Steve Herridge opened his model and
train shop on 7 April 2008, a dream he has had for a long
time.
During his time in the Royal Navy he was constantly on
the move and had no permanent base for a model train layout
– now he can combine his hobby with business. He moved to
the local area after a golfing trip to the area, he liked it
so much he stayed!
The shop stocks model trains, plastic kits, radio controlled
aircraft models, boats and a variety of accessories for
these hobbies and can provide a repair service. Steve has
tried to use local suppliers and companies wherever
possible.
Steve says that he has been helped greatly by local
enterprise company ENET who provided advice and free
training courses. He says the biggest challenge he has faced
to date is cashflow and how to manage it - a problem that
every business faces.
Steve has made links with local hobby groups and is keen to
hold demonstration days in the future.
Visit Peterhead Puffers, 30 Back Street, Peterhead T. 01779
481102
AWPR public local inquiry - The long-awaited public local
inquiry into the proposed Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route
began on September 9, at Aberdeen’s Hilton Treetops Hotel.
Reporters from the Department for Planning and Environmental
Appeals will consider all evidence prior to making
recommendations to Ministers for their consideration. If
Ministers decide to proceed with the scheme, it will go
before Parliament for final approval.
Road Sense, the group actively campaigning against the AWPR
together with campaigners from other groups such as the
Scottish Green Party, Friends of the Earth Scotland and
Transform Scotland, used shop window dummies, floating
dummies, and other props on 8th September to illustrate
their claim that the AWPR PLI is just “window dressing” with
‘narrow remit and limited scope’.
The Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) would comprise
of a new 46km dual carriageway proposed jointly by the
Scottish Government, Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire
Council. The route, running to the West of Aberdeen,
comprises three sections:
• Northern Leg (Blackdog to North Kingswells)
• Southern Leg (North Kingswells to Charleston)
• Fastlink (Cleanhill to Stonehaven)
The public local inquiry is currently expected to continue
until early December 2008.
Enquiries relating to the AWPR Public Local Inquiry may be
directed to:
Colin Bell
Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals
4 The Courtyard
Callendar Business Park
Falkirk
FK1 1XR
Telephone: 01324 696 400
Fax: 01324 696 444
E-mail:
DPEA@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Web:
www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Planning/Appeals
Fishing Discards: economic and environmental madness -
Fishing discards have long been an issue with the UK fishing
fleet.
Discards are the name given to dead fish which are
thrown back into the sea by fishermen because the fishing
quotas do not allow them to legally land the fish. It is
estimated that 100,000 tonnes of fish are dumped by Scottish
fishing boats each year.
Fisheries Secretary Richard Lockhead spoke out at a major
discards summit recently: “I am appalled and frustrated at
the scandalous level of waste and the economic and
environmental madness discards represent. In what other
industry would it be acceptable to throw away so much of
what is produced?
"Responsible and hard-working skippers are heartbroken
because they have to throw away precious fish. That is why
they, like me, are determined to tackle the scourge of
discards.”
European regulations mean that if fishermen land fish for
which they do not have quota, they will be subject to court
action and heavily fined; which in a time of worldwide food
shortages, it is the regulations which should be deemed
criminal, not the fishermen who are forced to waste £40m
worth of fish each year.
The Peterhead Project
The Peterhead Project (TPP) group meets regularly to discuss
items of concern in the Peterhead area and influence the distribution
of Aberdeenshire Towns Partnership funding. The group comprises
representatives from Aberdeenshire Council, housing, business
and community groups, Buchan Area Committee and local Councillors.
The meeting held at the Waterside Inn, Peterhead on 28th August
2007 aimed to discuss the future operation of the group.
The meeting was presided over Kristin Von Wald of Avante Consulting,
Edinburgh, who acted as facilitator. Those present formed three
sub-groups within which delegates were asked to discuss the
positive and negative aspects, outcomes and achievements of
previous. operations.
Each group’s findings were reported back to the meeting at the
end. These outcomes will form the basis for a report which will
be discussed at a future TPP meeting in order to establish the
group’s future aims and objectives.
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