Cheshire Independent Issue 144

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020 20 Follow us on Facebook: Cheshire Independent Independent BUSINESS A WELL-LOVED Con- gleton fixture – the Bear Grills café on Market Street – has started to offer supported employ- ment opportunities. Working with the ‘Work- Taste’ project from Sut- ton-based Rossendale Trust, the café has offered work to two young men who have learning disabilities. AdamHipwell was the first WorkTaste placement, in what was a new direction for the café. Owner Mark Winder said: “When Adam started it was a huge step for us. “We hadn’t done anything like this before, but we gave it a go and we were delighted with the response fromAdam, who put his everything into helping in the café.” That first placement was so successful that a second has now followed. Describing both as “magnificent”, Mark said: “We are so glad we took up the offer when we did. Our customers have really taken to themboth. Their characters and can-do attitude are wel- comed by us all.” Bear Grills has gone one step further this year by nominating The Rossen- dale Trust as its supported charity of 2020. Mark, pic- tured here with Adam, said: “We shall run some events this year, like the inaugural ‘Congleton Eating Champi- onships 2020’ in April.” All proceeds from the events will go to support the Rossendale Trust and there will be a donations tin on the counter at Bear Grills Bear Grills is a longstanding part of the town. Mark said: “We are a small cafe and the majority of our customers are regulars who have been visit- ing the cafe for many a year. I am the latest in a long line of owners dating back to the mid-seventies.” AWARD-WINNING entrepreneur Faye Roddy is celebrating a mile- stone year in 2020 as she marks ten years of successful business. Faye, who runs Bright & Beautiful Altrincham, has now acquired the Wilmslow franchise of the domestic cleaning business as she looks to expand her operations. Faye’s Wilmslow move means she has gained more than 60 new clients as well as its team of profes- sional housekeepers. Before buying the Altrincham franchise 10 years ago, single mum Faye, pictured, worked five jobs to support her young family. She says: “Our recent expansion into Wilmslow has given us the capac- ity to welcome even more people into our ever-growing family of professional housekeepers and to create employment opportunities for local people.” CHESHIRE’S police and crime commissioner opened the doors of police headquarters to businesses across the county to encourage them to work with the force. The packed event was attended by a number of businesses from a range of sectors. They were able to learn about the various tenders that may soon become available with Cheshire Constabulary and how their products and services can support the work of the police service. Attendees ranged from those work- ing in construction and recruitment to charities and other organisations in the third and voluntary sectors. They were all shown how to access the constabulary’s contract database and tendering system. PCC David Keane held the event to mark the launch of his joint Social Value and Ethical Procure- ment policies with the force. The policies aim to ensure the con- tracts the police procure have benefits for the local community. The event also provided businesses with up-to-date advice and guidance on business crime and they were able to learn more about how to develop their own approaches to social value through supporting constabulary vol- unteering schemes. Mr Keane said: “It was great to see so many local businesses and organisa- tions at the event with a clear passion for working in their local community. If we take an ethical approach to our commissioning it can bring great benefits to local people in Cheshire. I am commit- ted to putting Cheshire first and, where possible, supporting local businesses to provide our services whilst still deliver- ing value for money, providing local jobs and reducing environmental impacts.” Gareth Williams, managing direc- tor of Cheshire-based business Construction Linx, said: “It’s been fantastic to see such a great turnout of people at this event. “As a small, local business, we are interested in how we can get involved with Cheshire police’s tendering process. “The presentations at the event were fantastic, a real eye-opener that provided a lot of information in a short space of time. “I’m now looking forward to making connections and hopefully working with Cheshire police in the future.” CHESHIRE East is partnering with a leading energy company to run a competition for local schools to win a solar panel package worth up to £10,000. Energy giant Storengy UK works with local partners to findsolutions to tackle their carbon footprint by reducing the carbon content of the gas they store. In their mission to lead the way to net zero carbon emis- sions, Storengy UK is running the competition for Cheshire East pri- mary schools to win a solar panel package to provide them with green electricity. The competition is calling on schoolchildren to get creative and share their ideas on what they will do to combat the climate emer- gency, perhaps through changes in how they use energy for travel- ling, in the home or at school. Or GROWING digital PR agency Bed- nar Comms has opened its second office in Bollington’s Adelphi Mill. The agency is expanding from its origi- nal ManchesterAirport-based office as it looks to put more focus on the Cheshire area. The opening of a second larger office and the expansion of its team follows an impressive first 12months for the agency. Bednar Comms says it has experienced “very healthy growth” over the last year and has an expanding client list. Hana Bednarova, director at Bednar Comms, said: “With the agency’s first birthday approaching, it’s been lovely to be able to give a present to the company and the team - the gift of a second office. “Looking back, we have had an amaz- ing year! We are also very lucky to be able to work with great national and international brands and it’s fantastic seeing a healthy growth within the Bed- nar Comms team.” A real-life Bear Grills adventure! Cleaning firm shines for a decade Commissioner’s police work call Energy competition is class act New office for growing agency they could come up with ideas for new climate-friendly technologies which StorengyUK coulddevelop. Michael Gibson, managing director of Storengy UK, said: “We are proud to be working with Cheshire East Council to provide a boost to the sustainability of our local schools. At Storengy UK, and as part of the wider Engie group, we are leading the energy transi- tion to zero carbon. “This means not only reducing our own carbon footprint but sup- porting our customers and local communities to reduce theirs. We are currently engaged in projects looking at the use of biogas and hydrogen to support the transition to a net zero future. But we need help to come up with new ideas and solutions. WorkingwithCheshireEast Council we want to engage the scientists and engineers of tomorrow to showus their ideas. “That’s why we are announcing a competition for Cheshire East schools to win a solar panel pack- ageworthup to £10,000. “Give us your best ideas for sus- tainability and the winning entries will benefit from green solar elec- tricityfortheirschool.Beascreative as you can!” The competition closing date is April 3. For more details and to view terms and conditions visit http://www.chesshub.co.uk/ Article/71271. Competition win- ners will be published on www. cheshireeast.gov.uk and at www. storengy.co.uk