The doom and gloom of the credit crunch seems to be everywhere around us, but Mr. Yorkshire is keen to point out that there is actually much to get excited about in the Yorkshire business world.

It is very easy for the media to focus solely on the negative side, and for this reason we bring you Mr. Yorkshire's business News & Events blog, highlighting what is going right for companies in Yorkshire.

Here you will find Yorkshire business news and events, particularly related to the companies profiled by Mr. Yorkshire. We update this page regularly, so please come back soon.

 

 

Yorkshire Ridings magazine lunch

Tuesday 17th April 2012

 

Mr Yorkshire attended a Yorkshire Ridings magazine lunch today at the Black Swan at Helmsley and had a first class experience. Best wishes to Paul O'Hanlon the new General Manager and his Team and every success with their future plans. Thanks also to Yorkshire Ridings for the arrangements.

 

2012 Northern Inspiring Excellence Conferences Announced

Monday 2nd April 2012

 

Each conference features different aspects of leading a truly excellent business and should be attended by Chief Executives, Directors, Managers, Supervisors, and Consultants... anyone who wants to improve their leadership capabilities. Delegates will gain:

• Insights into the thinking of the leaders of some of the UK’s most successful businesses
• The chance to network with business leaders from across the North
• Opportunities to question and discuss business issues
• Examples of how other businesses reduce costs, enhance revenue, and improve quality.

For more details please download this PDF flyer.

 

Keith Profiled in 'The Yorkshire Dalesman' Magazine

Tuesday 27th March 2012

 

The Yorkshire Dalesman published a fascinating 6 page profile of Keith in their March edition. They have kindly given permission for the article to be reproduced on MrYorkshire.com. Please click the image below to download the article in PDF format.

 

 

Keith attends 45th Anniversary of the Serbian Orthodox Church

Thursday 9th February 2012

 

Keith Madeley with HRH Princess Katarina Karadjordjevic at the Celebrations of the 45th Anniversary of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Parish of St John the Baptist in Halifax, 4th February 2012.  Keith spoke on behalf of the Yorkshire Society who arranged a Trade Mission with Leeds City Council to Belgrade in 2009 to strengthen links between Yorkshire and Serbia.  Also present was Branimir Fillpovic, Minister Counsellor, Embassy of the Republic of Serbia.  The Serbian Embassy was the first Embassy to become a Corporate Member of the Yorkshire Society.

We would like to thank Ramon de Juan who took this wonderful photograph.

 

Safe4 Moves all of its Customer Data to the UK

Wednesday 1st February 2012

 

In recognition of the increasing need for compliance with requirements relating to Data Protection, Safe4 have transferred all of the data held on behalf of its customers from global “cloud” storage to a UK-based cloud environment. This means that customer data will always remain in the UK, and will never pass across a foreign jurisdiction.
The transfer was undertaken using some internally-developed tools, designed to ensure that every file had been correctly transferred, and validated after the move. Only when this exercise had been successfully accomplished was the access to the previous site suspended.

Alistair Stubbs, Technical Director of Safe4 Information Management, commented that “the need became increasingly important during 2011 as we grew and new customers have asked, increasingly, for their data to be based in the UK. So we have taken advantage of the availability of cloud infrastructure in the UK to ‘move house.’ A lot of planning was needed in order to achieve the move with as little disruption to our customers as possible. In the end the site was unavailable for a little less than 25 minutes overnight last week - the real test is whether any customers actually noticed?”

Safe4 offers a unique approach to the secure delivery and storage of documents for professional providers on behalf of their clients. For more information please contact us at http://safe-4.co.uk/index.php?page=contact-us.

 

Hockney exhibition at A Festival of Yorkshire - Scarborough

Friday 23rd December 2011

 

An exhibition of work by one of the country’s greatest living artists, David Hockney, will be staged in Scarborough next year as part of “A Festival of Yorkshire - Scarborough”.

The Hockney exhibition will open on Yorkshire Day, August 1 at the Woodend Arts and Craft Gallery in the Crescent and run until 24 August.

The landmark exhibition is being delivered in association with the Goldmark Gallery based in Uppingham, Rutland and is part a full exhibition programme being delivered by Woodend in 2012.

Woodend worked with the Goldmark team earlier in 2011 on the John Piper exhibition which proved to be extremely popular with visitors. Two further shows are also planned with Goldmark. In April there will be an exhibition of work by Marc Chagall and in October / November work by Henri Matisse will be on show.

Securing the Hockney exhibition is a major coup for Woodend director Andrew Clay and has been described as a “tremendous boost” for the partnership involved in organising the four-day festival of Yorkshire culture and heritage in Scarborough.

Andrew said: “We are thrilled and honoured to be able to say that the work of David Hockney is coming to Woodend. He is without doubt one of the greatest living artists and we think his work on paper will look stunning in our unique gallery spaces.

“Like David Hockney, I am a Bradford born man myself so feel rather humbled to have his creative genius represented in this modern creative industries centre. The exhibition is free so we urge all art lovers to take a look.”

Welcome to Yorkshire Area Director Janet Deacon said: “I’m delighted Woodend has been able to secure an exhibition of Hockney’s work. He is without doubt one of the finest artists to come out of Yorkshire and I hope the Scarborough community and visitors to the town take the time to see his work on display at Woodend.”

“A Festival of Yorkshire” is being spearheaded by Scarborough Borough Council and the Scarborough Urban Area Forum as part of its arts culture and sport theme for 2012 and supported by Welcome to Yorkshire in association with a number of other partners including Woodend, The Yorkshire Society, Scarborough Spa, Scarborough Castle and Scarborough Library and Information Centre.

It is being staged to coincide with Yorkshire Day after Scarborough was invited by the Yorkshire Society to host the main civic gathering when mayors, chairmen and other dignitaries from across the region gather to celebrate their pride in Yorkshire and the region’s unique appeal.

Events planned so far over the four-day festival include a Made in Yorkshire exhibition at the Spa, flat-cap Frisbee and guided tours at Scarborough Castle, a Yorkshire authors’ day at Scarborough Library and Information Centre, cookery demonstrations at Scarborough’s Market Hall and Vaults and a special “Scarborough Sings Together” at Scarborough Spa on 4 August, featuring more than 150 performers from young rappers to church choirs.

 

A Festival of Yorkshire in Scarborough is launched

Friday 16th December 2011

 

A brand new festival celebrating the best of Yorkshire is set to be added to Scarborough’s growing calendar of events next year.

“A Festival of Yorkshire - Scarborough” will run from Yorkshire Day, 1 August, with music and literature events, games, performances and exhibitions potentially set to continue until Saturday 4 August. A number of the events and activities being planned will be free.

The new festival is being led by Scarborough Borough Council and the Scarborough Urban Area Forum as part of its arts culture and sport theme for 2012 and supported by Welcome to Yorkshire in association with a number of other partners which so far include The Yorkshire Society, Scarborough Spa, Scarborough Castle, the Woodend Creative Industries Centre and Scarborough Library and Information Centre.

It is being launched to coincide specifically with Yorkshire Day, after Scarborough was invited by the Yorkshire Society to host the main civic gathering when mayors, chairmen and other dignitaries from across the region gather together to celebrate their pride in Yorkshire and the region’s unique appeal.

The Civic Day will start at the iconic Spa and a procession will follow led by the Yorkshire Volunteers band along the Foreshore. Guests will be driven in vintage coaches to St Mary’s Church for a traditional service before they return to the Spa for a reception and Yorkshire celebration. This will be followed by an opportunity to see a classic Scarborough product, Tony Peers Productions’ summer show in the Spa’s Victorian Theatre.

Chairman of The Yorkshire Society, Keith Madeley said: “We’re really excited by the plans for Yorkshire Day celebrations in Scarborough and in particular the efforts that are being made to get the community involved. I know many people in Scarborough are immensely proud of their Yorkshire roots and I hope they come out in force to show their support.”

Welcome to Yorkshire Area Director Janet Deacon added: “We are delighted to be supporting this new festival. This is a great opportunity to showcase the very best of Scarborough and Yorkshire to the wider world and I’m confident it will provide a fantastic boost to the town’s tourism economy.”

Scarborough Borough Council’s area forum support officer Matthew Joseph who is leading the organising team behind the festival, said: “Yorkshire Day celebrations are traditionally grand civic affairs, but we wanted to take it one step further and give the day meaning to ordinary people in our community who are also immensely proud of being Yorkshire men and Yorkshire women, as well as create a festival with much wider appeal.

“Yorkshire has a vibrant culture and identity all of its own which is celebrated every week in Scarborough through art and music and the things that are produced here. We want to tap in to that Yorkshire pride and obvious Yorkshire talent and pull together a festival which celebrates and showcases the best of Yorkshire art, culture and history, business and entrepreneurship, right here in Scarborough.

“We have already made a number of approaches to groups and organisations in the town and an itinerary of events under the umbrella banner of ‘A Festival of Yorkshire’ is currently being pulled together.

“We’re pleased with the way things are going so far, but if there are other music promoters or event organisers who want to pull together another Yorkshire element to the festival, we’re open to ideas and further partnership and co-operation.”

On top of the civic element of Yorkshire Day, there are moves to stage a Made in Yorkshire exhibition at the Spa from 1 August, with businesses and groups from Yorkshire invited to set up a stall to showcase their work. Scarborough’s Yorkshire Coast College and the University of Hull Scarborough Campus will also be invited to get involved.

Scarborough Castle is also set to support “A Festival of Yorkshire” with a “flat-cap Frisbee” event on 1 August and guided tours of the castle, which in 1066 was the first landing place of King Harald Hardrada during his ill-fated attempt to seize the English throne from Harold Godwinson.

On Thursday 2 August North Yorkshire’s library service is planning to stage a Yorkshire Authors’ Day in Scarborough’s library and information centre in Vernon Road which will feature a host of well-known writers from the region.

On Friday 3 August the focus is set to switch to Scarborough’s historic Market Hall and Vaults with cookery demonstrations and a celebration of Yorkshire’s fresh produce.

One of the highlights of “A Festival of Yorkshire” will be a repeat of last year’s Scarborough Sings Together. It will take place at the Spa on 4 August and feature more than 150 performers from young rappers to church choirs.

Scarborough Borough Council is also hoping to stage a large community sporting event in the town, possibly featuring traditional Yorkshire games. And negotiations are also taking place about staging a mini music festival featuring Scarborough bands, playing under the banner of “A Festival of Yorkshire”.

 

Yorkshire film maker seeks to raise funding

Monday 12th December 2011

 

Yorkshire film maker Peter Hunt of Happy Our Films recently met Keith at a York screening.

"I was instantly blown away by Keith" said Pete, "I have never seen a man make so many people feel welcome - I thought I have to meet this guy and also try and get a suit like his - with Yorkshire woven into the fabric."

Pete's film titled Elevator Gods which he wrote, produced and directed is pitched as The Commitments meets The Full Monty with 80's tribute bands, and follows the story of Adam Teasedale - (the 3rd most eligible bachelor in Bradford) and his quest to reform his 80's Duran Duran tribute band to compete in an 80's tribute contest set but two 80's obsessed lottery winners.

The contest pulls in Bradford rivals and tribute kings Spandau Cafe, as well as Alan and the Ants, Poison arrow and The League of Humans.

Pete also cast one of his favourite actor Ralph Brown to play Midge Ultra - a washed up 80's legend and founder member of fictional Bradford supergroup Elevator Gods. Ralph acted in Cult movie - Withnail and I, as drug dealer Danny, one of Pete's favourite films, and is about to appear in Hollywood blockbuster Jack the Giant Killer alongside Ewan Mcgregor.

The Production which was funded by Hunt himself, close family and friends was shot for £150,000 and Pete is hoping the film will take on the big movies that cost 100 times as much whilst showcasing Bradford and Yorkshire in a great light too.

"We just got on and did it with our own money, and a load of help and support from wonderful cast, crew, even local farmers lent us barns and we raided skips for materials" said Pete. "And the key meaning to be an Elevator Gods is to go out and do it and be original. A mantra taken into our own working lives whilst fighting for a small underdog film. So many people talk about making a movie but the finance is just not there at the moment. By putting our own cash in others followed as people realise if it's not gonna work then we lose out too".

Pete is now looking for help and support to raise a small amount of cash to finish the film and also make other films in development.

"There is such a lot of talent in Yorkshire and it's such a shame cast and crew may end up going to London or the USA. The film could prove to be very commercial as it's soundtrack alone has sold over a billion albums. Plus it's a great story with wonderful performances" said Pete.

If you wish to watch a teaser of the film then click onto the following link: http://vimeo.com/32844881

One benefit of film investment is the EIS based tax breaks. It's a great way to sustain an industry and invest tax that would go to the revenue in a worthy project.

Pete can be contacted directly on happyourfilm@gmail.com or phone 07760 354526.

 

Mr Yorkshire at Official Opening

Monday 17th October 2011

 

Keith and Chris were invited to the Civic Opening of the City Varieties Music Hall Leeds on Saturday 15th October. I would like to place on record my thanks to Leeds City Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund for ensuring this wonderful building has been preserved for future generations to enjoy. It was a wonderful occasion and very pleasing to see young talent coming forward particularly Rachael Russell, Steve Hewlett and Romany who along with everyone else gave us an evening to remember.

 

Yorkshire Awards Dinner Photos

Friday 14th October 2011

 

Keith Madeley, Chairman of the Yorkshire Society, presents Sir Bernard Ingham with an engraved rose bowl presented at the Yorkshire Awards Dinner on Friday 14th October for 'Yorkshire Lifetime Achievement'. Photo courtesy of Paul Harness.

 

Alan Hinkes joins Sir Bernard and Keith Madeley before the Yorkshire Awards Dinner.

 

Mr Yorkshire supports Leeds bid for Green Investment Bank

Friday 14th October 2011

 

The Government has announced plans to create a £3bn Green Investment Bank. This bank will provide financial investment to stimulate the green economy. Soon, the Government will decide where to site the bank's headquarters.

This matters. The bank would boost the Leeds Region's reputation as a hub for financial and professional services and low carbon innovation, bringing jobs and investment to the local economy.

We are encouraging all our readers to download the business case and register their support at www.greenbanklcr.org.uk

Also please see the Green Investment Bank Leeds City Region blog for regular updates and newsletters.

 

Yorkshire Care Homes Receive High Tech Help

Thursday 13th October 2011

 

Tadcaster firm Kaleton Ltd today announced the regional launch of an innovative software product designed to help Yorkshire’s Care Homes operate more efficiently.

“With the recent closure of several of the region’s Care Homes by both councils and private companies there is clearly a need for many Homes to streamline their operations” said Keith Madeley MBE, the company’s President and Chairman of the Yorkshire Society. “Our state-of-the-art cloud-based software is a complete solution for the optimal management of a modern Care Home. The emphasis is on cutting down administration costs whilst ensuring total compliance with all legislation.”

Built from the ground up on cloud computing concepts, the Everyday Care System runs over the Internet to minimise costs and maximise benefits for the end user. All hardware maintenance, backing up of data, information security and other processes are carried out by Kaleton in their datacentre. This removes the burden and expense from the customer. Any Care Home with a PC and an Internet connection can take advantage of the software for a low monthly fee.

The latest version of the software is also available on the Apple iPad for when data entry needs to be carried out with residents at the point of care.

The state-of-the-art software has been developed and tested by Blue Parrot Software Ltd of Hertfordshire and is now being provided to Care Homes in Yorkshire by Kaleton Ltd.

“We have been providing ground breaking software systems to Care Homes across the south of England for several years and we are looking forward to working with Kaleton in Yorkshire and Northern England” said John Richardson, Director of Blue Parrot Software Ltd.

The software is now being offered by Kaleton on a 30-day free trial basis to any Care Home wanting to improve management processes and reduce overheads.

 

Mr Yorkshire speaks at Action Coach 2011 Awards

Wednesday 5th October 2011

 

Keith was asked to join a lawyer and banker to judge the Action Coach 2011 Yorkshire and North East Awards for business clients of Action Coach. Subsequently he was asked to be the Guest Speaker at the Awards Dinner at Harewood House last Friday 30th September. Keith spoke about the benefits of business coaching and talked about his new company launch of NEDconnections.com to enable knowledge to be transferred to the next generation of Business Leaders. He urged the business owners present to keep the Media posted on good news business stories and to also engage in helping the Third Sector which provides benefits to all those involved.

A photo album of the event can be seen at: http://gallery.me.com/rolandfawcett#100442

 

BBC Radio Leeds interviews Mr Yorkshire

Monday 3rd October 2011

 

Keith Madeley was interviewed on BBC Radio Leeds Drive Time programme today on his views regarding Sir Chris Woodhead's idea of reducing the school leaving age to 14. Keith was asked as he left school at 16 and became British Rail's youngest Station Manager at 21, later going on to run his own Financial Services business. Keith's view was that if students were not achieving in academia it may be preferable to join structured apprenticeship schemes and other forms of learning in the work place.

The show can be heard in full on the BBC Radio Leeds web site, until Monday 10th October: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00kdzz7#synopsis

 

Yorkshire Care Services take to the Web

Friday 30th September 2011

 

Tadcaster firm Kaleton Ltd today announced the launch of a new online Care Home Directory Initiative serving the whole of Yorkshire. The web site, CareHomesYorkshire.com, aims to make essential information about accessing care services easily available to everyone in the county.

“Traditionally, details of local Care Homes have only been available from social workers and councils, usually in paper format” said Keith Madeley MBE, the company’s President and Chairman of the Yorkshire Society. “It is not possible for the public to search through their leaflets easily, locate Care Homes in a specific postcode area or compare homes side by side. By bringing Care Home information onto the web and adding modern database search technology we have made it far easier for people to find exactly what they need, when they need it.”

In addition to a searchable directory of care providers, the web site features articles and advice about choosing Care Homes, accessing funding and other related issues. The public can also post reviews of the Care Homes thus favouring those providing the best levels of care.

As well as providing a long overdue service to the public, the site has a section aimed at benefitting the Care Home operators. This facilitates networking within the care sector as well as access to key suppliers.

“The CareHomesYorkshire.com web site is allowing us to effectively engage with local people who need our care services. It is also a great source of information when our care homes need to find suppliers or recruit staff” said Patrick Roche, Managing Director of Leeds based Care Home group Roche Healthcare.

To check out the new project, readers are encouraged to visit www.CareHomesYorkshire.com

 

Bring a Non-Exec on board, SMEs urged

Tuesday 20th September 2011

 

Business leaders from across the Yorkshire region today urged the next generation of leaders of SME’s to become connected with experienced and talented business people by bringing non-executive directors to their boards - or risk losing valuable business skills forever.

“It’s critical that our SME businesses and organisations engage with the wealth of commercial knowledge, talent and experience that already exists,“ said Keith Madeley at the launch of a new service aimed at connecting potential non-executive directors (NEDs) with companies and organisations.

“Unless passed on and shared, skills and knowledge evaporate forever. We have seen it happen across manufacturing, we have seen it happen in the trades. We must make every effort to ensure we do not let business experience be lost for good,” added Craig Burton of NED Connections, the company behind the new service.

NED Connections, which will provide its services to SMEs in the private sector -and also to public and voluntary organisations - has been launched by two successful business owners - Craig Burton of The Works Recruitment Company in Leeds and is based on an idea of fellow NED Connections director, Keith Madeley MBE, entrepreneur and businessman often referred to as Mr Yorkshire (www.mryorkshire.com).

Madeley says the idea had been burning away at him for some time as he became more and more concerned that business acumen and knowledge accrued by the likes of himself and the speakers at launch event - Colin Glass and Stan Hardy - would be lost forever if not passed on through initiatives such as NED Connections.

“It’s critical to the economy that we help these small and medium sized enterprises survive and grow. Non-executive directors are often associated with larger organisations, but the launch of this service is aimed squarely at SME’s and is structured to be accessible and affordable,” said Craig Burton.

Business owners and leaders and some already acting as non-executive directors are openly supporting the launch of the new service. Many in attendance at today’s launch are throwing their weight behind it and argue that SME’s have been largely ignored where non-executive directors are concerned.

One such business owner, Margaret Wood MBE, owner of ICW (UK) Ltd in Wakefield employed a non-executive director and claims that without him, her specialist glass panel manufacturing business might well have not survived. “In any business you can become very insular. I am owner and managing director of a business and I needed someone to challenge me, make me think about what I was doing and plan the way forward.”

The service provided by NED Connections will be highly personalised and will involve the very careful matching of individuals with organisations that require specific skills to help run, guide and grow them. There are strict legal requirements placed upon NED’s, but the new service goes way beyond just connecting people with organisations,” claims Gillian Johnson of NED Connections:

“We will assist non-executive directors by offering an on-going programme of relevant training and development covering areas such as corporate governance and to ensure that they are kept abreast of changes in regulatory issues. This will ensure that the NED Connections brings contemporary relevance to the SME organisations we work with.”

The company is looking to register experienced businesses people who may have already sat on a board of directors and believe they have the relevant skills to assist in the strategic building and directing of SME organisations. Registration is free of charge until 31st October 2011.

 

Yorkshire Day 2011 Dinner to be held at 3 Albion Place

Monday 11th July 2011

 

We are pleased to be hosting this year's Yorkshire Day Dinner at 3 Albion Place, in partnership with the Yorkshire Society. For the past two years this event has been a total sell out - so don't delay in getting your tickets early!

The dinner will be held on Tuesday 2nd August at 7pm.

Yorkshire Day is a very important event in the region's calendar, which is why we've chosen to celebrate it with a special menu including celebrated Yorkshire dishes and regional wine. This is a great opportunity to socialise with Members and Non-Members alike, in the classical setting of The Leeds Room.

Advance booking required.

Event price: £38.50, or £350 for a table of 10. Includes a 3 course meal, wine and sparkling toast.

For more details visit: http://www.club-ls1.com/events/Yorkshire_Day_Dinner

 

Club LS1 holds MBE Celebration for Keith Madeley

Friday 8th July 2011

 

Club LS1 recently held a reception to celebrate Keith Madeley being awarded the MBE in Her Majesty The Queen’s New Year Honours List.

Keith attended Buckingham Palace to receive his MBE on the 31st March from HRH The Princess Royal.

Club LS1 brought together a wide ranging group of people from all the organisations Keith is involved in and the evening was enjoyed by everyone present.

Karen Willows, of Club LS1, composed a poem about Keith which can be read here. Thanks to Karen for the poem and photographs from the evening.

Keith never stops and is now working on a further two major corporate projects so keep watching this space.

Sharia Investments Seminar At Leeds Professional College

Friday 24th June 2011

 

Leeds Professional College are pleased to host a seminar on Sharia Investments on the 24th June at 7pm. The event will be sponsored by the college in association with Pennine Financial Planning Limited, who’s Chairman is Keith Madeley MBE. Keith is also the Chairman of the Board of Governors at the college.

“I am delighted that Pennine are pioneering Sharia Investments in Leeds and that Leeds Professional College have taken the initiative to host this seminar”
Keith madeley MBE

Retail investors in the UK can, for the first time, access a portfolio of Sharia compliant and ethical investment products through Pennine Financial Planning Ltd. Through this service retail customers can invest in assets, such as shares, commodities, property funds and Sukuks through a number of funds. It enables retail investors to access a comprehensive investment service allowing them to generate a profit from their wealth in a Sharia compliant and ethical way.

The service which is accredited by Islamic Bank of Britain is available to a wide range of investors including:
- High Net Worth clientele who would typically use a discretionary asset manager or investment adviser to manage their portfolio.
- Investors looking to utilise their Investment ISA allowance in Sharia compliant investments.
- Individuals planning their pensions where the investment portfolio can sit in Self Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs)

Until now, the availability of Sharia compliant investment products in the UK has been ad hoc and Independent Financial Advisers (IFAs) investors have had limited access to suitable products. The lack of choice has left many retail investors unable to maximise the earning potential of their wealth and plan their finances. To illustrate, it is estimated that up to 200,000 Muslim workers earning up to £35,000 currently do not have a workplace pension, as there have been limited Sharia compliant investment funds.

Commenting on the launch, Alan Mills, of Pennine Financial Planning said, “The service is a genuine first and offers investors a viable, and ethical, alternative for managing their wealth. Until now the current, limited, range of ad hoc Sharia compliant products is not addressing the needs of the UK retail investor in a comprehensive way. For the first time retail investors can access a range of products and portfolios that address their investment and wealth management needs. It also allows clients to maximise their wealth in accordance to their beliefs. The accreditation by IBB ensures that all the products are approved as Sharia compliant.”

Islamic Fund Indices are offered by leading index providers including the FTSE Group, Standard & Poors, MSCI and Dow Jones. Locations of Islamic funds include UK, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Cayman Islands, Bahrain, Malaysia, Malta and Dubai. The IBB accredited service has made these funds, and others selected by its fund manager, accessible for the UK retail investor for the first time.

Montague Capital, the investment management company, are appointed to design and manage the investment portfolios available. Anthony Corbett, Investment Manager at Montague Capital added, “The IBB accredited DPS is a unique service for the UK market. For the first time retail investors will have access to a global industry and Sharia compliant assets including equities, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), real estate funds, and Sukuks (Islamic bonds). With the Islamic finance investment industry on track for growth in 2011 this is a good time for retail investors looking for Sharia compliant and ethical returns to join.”

The service is backed by a screening process involved in selecting Sharia compliant products which match many of the criteria listed by the IMA in its guide to ethical investing**. For example, industries such as alcohol, tobacco and pornography are excluded from the service and also appear in the IMA list of potentially excluded industries.

Seminars will be held at Leeds Professional College Leeds on Friday 24th June 2011. For further details contact Rashad Bokhari Vice Principal Tel. 0113 2778002 email. Rashad@lpcollege.org.uk

IBB is the UK’s only standalone, Sharia compliant retail bank. The Bank was authorised by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) in 2004. As an inclusive bank IBB welcomes customers of all faiths and appeals to a wide spectrum of consumers drawn to its faith-based, ethical system

* Subject to regulatory requirements.
** http://www.investmentuk.org/consumer-centre/consumer-factsheets/ethical-investing/understanding_issues

 

Club LS1 announces Diary of Exciting Events for Business Leaders

Monday 6th June 2011

 

Based at 3 Albion Place, a historic building in the heart of Leeds, Club LS1 combines the benefits of a private club, including a Members-only club room and restaurant, with state of the art business facilities, as well as a diverse range of exciting events.

The Club was formed in 1849, and has a history to be proud of. The membership remains purposefully eclectic; it includes luminaries from fields as diverse as business, the arts, sports and politics, and ‘next generation’ leaders as well as those already established at the top of their field.

For many members, the real attraction of belonging to Club LS1 is the feeling of community you get as soon as you walk through the door. Helping to foster that feeling are the exclusive events, the variety of which offers something for everyone - from those meeting other leaders at the business lunches and networking evenings, to those enjoying the more social pleasures of the wine tastings or jazz evenings.

To see all upcoming events at Club LS1 please visit the web site: http://www.club-ls1.com/events

To reserve a place at any of the events, contact the membership team on 0113 388 2820.

 

‘Call to Arms’ for Prospective Lord Mayor of London’s Show

Friday 3rd June 2011

 

Keith Madeley, Chairman of the Yorkshire Society, is calling on Corporate Yorkshire to come together and fund a float in the Lord Mayor’s Parade in London this November.

The prospective Lord Mayor of London for 2011-2012 is Bradfordian and Yorkshire Society Member, David Wootton.  David is the first Bradfordian to become a prospective Lord Mayor for the City of London and is keen for Yorkshire to be a key part of his year in office.  This is possibly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Yorkshire companies to come together and jointly fund a float in the parade showcasing what we have to offer as a Region and to support a wonderful achievement of a ‘Boy from Bradford’.  David would also like to examine the possibility of another dinner in the City of London similar to the one sponsored by the Yorkshire Society in 2008 as ‘Yorkshire in the City’

Keith, affectionately known as ‘Mr Yorkshire,’ is always keen to work with other Yorkshire organisations to maximise every opportunity of showing the world what we have to offer in our County and this is an opportunity not to be missed.  He said “if we can raise around £10,000 we can have a float to be proud of and if enough companies come together to support the Initiative we are not talking of significant amounts of cash”

Read more about this in the recent Telegraph & Argus article.

 

 

New Project helps Yorkshire Businesses become Carbon Neutral

Thursday 2nd June 2011

 

A new project in Yorkshire is helping the region's businesses to reduce their carbon footprint.

Tadcaster based Kaleton Ltd, under the Chairmanship of Keith Madeley MBE, recently launched Kaleton Climate Solutions to provide simple access to carbon offsets.

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues facing the planet – and one that everyone can do something about.

We are all responsible for adding Carbon Dioxide into the atmosphere, just by doing everyday things such as driving our cars, or flying to business conferences abroad.

The Kaleton Climate web site allows both personal and business users to calculate their carbon footprint and immediately purchase carbon offsets.

"Our mission is to get businesses directly involved in supporting a range of high-impact carbon reduction and sustainability projects around the world" commented James Fell, the project's founder.

The back end technology used by Kaleton that allows the online purchase of carbon offsets is provided by Oliver Rothschild's Carbon Advice Group.

Carbon offsetting enables individuals and businesses to compensate for unavoidable emissions by purchasing equivalent greenhouse gas savings. These savings can come from wind power, biomass power, or a renewable energy charitable contribution.

Available carbon credits meet strict international standards. Businesses that purchase carbon offsets from Kaleton receive certificates so that they can proudly display their environmental credentials.

More information is available at the project's web site: http://www.kaletonclimate.com/

 

Mr Yorkshire is now on Facebook and Twitter

Wednesday 1st June 2011

 

In addition to this web site Mr Yorkshire now has a presence on social media sites Facebook and Twitter. This is perfect for interacting with local businesses and rapidly sharing news and event details.

Use the links below to find us. Follow @Mr_Yorkshire on Twitter, join the Facebook group and click 'like' on the Facebook page to interact with us and share the latest Yorkshire business news.

Twitter profile: http://twitter.com/Mr_Yorkshire

Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=47117232674

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mr-Yorkshire/50509790924

 

New appointment for Yorkshire MBE

Wednesday 5th January 2011

 

Emerging IT firm, Kaleton Ltd, has appointed Yorkshire business stalwart Keith Madeley MBE as chairman.

Keith joins the Tadcaster based company as it embarks on ambitious plans to expand within the region’s nursing and care home sector.

The Bradford-born businessman, known affectionately as "Mr. Yorkshire", was recognised earlier this month in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list. Mr. Madeley was awarded an MBE for service to the communities of Yorkshire.

Mr. Madeley, who lives in Leeds, has over 30 years of business experience and is a well known member of the Yorkshire business community. He is currently chairman of The Prince's Trust for Yorkshire and the Humber as well as the Yorkshire Society and the Duke of York's Community Initiative.

"Kaleton is a young, exciting company with great growth potential", said Keith.

"Kaleton’s expanding portfolio of IT, software and internet services is rapidly establishing the company in the nursing and care home sector. As Chairman I look forward to building on Kaleton's position as a key service provider in this growing sector whilst expanding into other markets. I am confident that the company has a very bright future", he added.

Kaleton’s founder James Fell said, "We are delighted to have appointed Keith as chairman. Keith was particularly impressed with Kaleton’s portfolio of cutting edge IT products and how these can benefit other businesses. He brings a wealth of business know-how which will be invaluable in ensuring we achieve our expansion plans."

Read Keith Madeley's full statement on Kaleton's web site at http://www.kaleton.com/chairman-message.php

Keith Madeley MBE with Kaleton founders Yvonne and James Fell