Cheshire Independent Issue 216

JULY 2026 18 Independent BUSINESS MACCLESFIELD College has been shortlisted in two categories at the 2026 North Cheshire Busi- ness Awards. The College’s Marketing Team has been named a finalist in the Team of the Year category, while CEO and Principal Rachel Kay has been shortlisted for Busi- nessperson of the Year. The North Cheshire Business Awards celebrate the achievements, innovation and success of organisations and individuals across the region, recognising those who make a significant contribution to the local business community. Being shortlisted in two categories is a fantastic achievement and reflects the dedication, professional- ism and impact of colleagues across the College. A BEVERAGE export company has been named NorthWest Global Startup of the Year. Cheers Global took home the title at theUKStartupAwards. Founded in 2024 by Scot- tish entrepreneur Craig Johnstone and based in Mid- dlewich, the business supports drinks brands with their international growth and has already worked with Healeys Cyder, Woodforde’s Brewery, Loch Lomond Brewery, and Stonewell Cider. Craig said: “When I founded Cheers Global in 2024, I knew there was a real opportunity to help ambitious drinks brands navigate international markets and accelerate their growth overseas. “To be recognised as the North West Global Startup of the Year is incredibly rewarding and gives us even more motivation to build on the momentumwe’ve created. “We’ve already had the priv- ilege of workingwith some fan- tastic brands andwe’re looking forward to helping many more achieve their export ambitions.” CHESHIRE East Council visited Bidlea Dairy near Holmes Chapel to celebrate the success of one of the borough’s most innovative farm-to-bottle businesses. The visit formed part of the council’s Made in Cheshire East campaign, highlighting businesses that are growing the local economy while show- casing the borough’s strong agricultural heritage. Located at The Orchards Farm in Twemlow, Bidlea Dairy is a third generation family business, which has been run by the Brown family for more than 40 years. From humble beginnings with just 20 cows, the farm has grown to an almost 1,000-strong herd of award-winning Hol- stein Friesians. During the visit, council leaders met members of the Brown family to learn more about how the business has developed, combining tra- ditional farming expertise with a modern, customer focused approach. At the heart of Bidlea Dairy’s success is its farm to bottle model, with milk pro- duced, processed and bottled on-site. This helps ensure freshness, reduces food miles and strengthens local supply chains, while giving customers full traceability from field to finished product. The business has also grown into a popular desti- nation, with a farm shop, café and a range of award winning ice creams made using milk from its own herd. Bidlea Dairy places strong empha- sis on sustainability and ani- mal welfare, with initiatives including reusable milk bottle schemes and environmentally responsible land management. Councillor Nick Mann- ion, leader of Cheshire East Council, said: “Bidlea Dairy demonstrates how our rural businesses are continuing to innovate and adapt, adding value locally while maintain- ing high standards of quality and sustainability. “It’s a great example of how a long established family farm can evolve into a thriving, modern business while stay- ing true to its roots.” Adam Brown, founder and owner of Bidlea Dairy, said: “We’re proud to produce high-quality milk here in Cheshire and to see the busi- ness grow while staying true to our family values. It was a pleasure to welcome council leaders and give them a taste of what we do.” As well as producing milk, cream and ice cream, Bidlea ALTRINCHAM law firm McHale &Co has bolstered its senior ranks with the appointment of Shaun Lit- tle as head of corporate and Patrick Byrne as head of employment. Little joins the practice from Sumer Law. He trained and qualified at Eversheds Sutherland before moving to Beyond Corporate and then Sumer Law. Byrne arrives fromWeight- mans, having previously worked at Myerson Solicitors, and trained and qualified as a solicitor at Howes Percival. The two appointments are aimed at deepening the firm’s support for small and medium-sized businesses across the region, spanning employment matters, corpo- rate transactions and wider strategic growth. Joint chief executive Adam Horner said the pair bring “exceptional expertise, com- mercial awareness and lead- ership experience” to the firm. “Their arrival strengthens our ability to support SME cli- ents on employment matters, TATTON MP Esther McVey has thrown her weight behind a national campaign calling on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to stop the“corrosive tax rises on Britain’s businesses”. The campaign, by busi- ness networking group Helm, accuses government of repeatedly attacking busi- nesses and making it almost impossible to build and scale up a businesses in theUK. It said rising Employers’ National Insurance contribu- tions andCapital GainsTax are just two of the reasons busi- nesses are struggling. Ms McVey, is one of a number of MPs backing the campaign, along with more than 90 business leaders. She said: “With costs spiral- ling and tax rises on top it’s making business no longer viable. Labour doesn’t grasp businesses aren’t cash cows you can keep squeezing for moremoney, theywill eventu- ally go bust. “And that’ll push people out of work needing to claim benefits, instead of paying taxes which benefits our pub- lic services. “I’ve campaigned against the anti-business measures this government have intro- duced and I will keep doing so. I am proud to support this campaign, and I hope more people get behind it, so Helm can show the strength of feel- ing on this issue.” A STOCKPORT-based start-up specialising in flexible, ultra- thin X-ray film that couldmake medical imaging sharper, less rigid and more comfortable for patients, has raised £5m to accelerate production of its next-generation technology and expand into healthcare. Silveray’s technology currently has a number of industrial uses, such as test- ing the integrity of pipes in the oil and gas sector as well as detecting faults in hard-to- reach parts found in aerospace and automotivemachinery. Beyond industrial, the com- pany is now exploring new uses inhealthcare for its Digital X-ray Film (DXF), which utilises the company’s patented NPX X-ray sensitive semiconductor ink. This includes making X-ray scans more accessible, porta- ble, and affordable to check for early signs of chronic disease. Another area of interest for thecompany is inbreast cancer screening, wherepain fromthe compression caused by mam- mography machines is often cited as a reason for non-at- tendance for screenings, and in dental scans, where intra-oral discomfort and the natural gag reflex regularly force dentists to refer patients to specialist imaging centres. Silveray is also looking closely at radiotherapy, which uses the radiation from X-rays to destroy cancer cells. Silveray states its solution has the potential to remove cost bar- riers as well as allowing for a more accurate measurement of radiation dose, therefore reducing side effects and mak- ing treatmentmore targeted. The funding will be used to grow Silveray’s 20-strong team by 50% over the next two years, in order to scale up production and expand com- mercial relationships across industrial inspection, health- care, and beyond. Cheers Global wins top award X-ray specialist looks to expand tech into healthcare College nominated Ray Brown, owner and founder of Bidlea Dairy, Cllr Nick Mannion, Rachel Bolton, Cheshire East Council and Max Beadle of Bidlea (Image: GIBBS) A TASTE OF SUCCESS Dairy farm celebrates farm-to-bottle business MP backs tax rises campaign New recruits Shaun Little (left) and Patrick Byrne (centre) with joint CEO Kamil Tomaszewski (Image: Supplied) Law firm strengthens senior team corporate transactions and wider strategic growth initi- atives,” he said. “Our vision has always been to build a modern law firm that combines technical excellence with outstanding client service. Shaun and Patrick reinforce that vision, and their appointments reflect our commitment to investing in the people and capabilities that will drive the next phase of our growth.” Kamil Tomaszewski, joint CEO alongside Horner, said the appointments marked “a significant step in the contin- ued evolution of McHale &Co”. McHale & Co is part of the wider McHale Group, which includes BJ McKenna Solicitors, Parkers Solici- tors and Waldron & Schof- ield Solicitors. The group employs more than 150 staff across offices in Altrincham, Stockport, the Heatons, Heywood and London, alongside specialist brands including Two Wheel Claims, Will Solicitors and MCH Legal. Dairy works closely with other local producers and attrac- tions, supporting Cheshire East’s food and drink sector and wider visitor economy, helping to showcase the very best of what the borough has to offer.