Business London Press

Director, Screenwriter, and Producer; Edgar Wright revealed as first ever Patron of The Mowlem, Swanage

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17/03/2023

Director, Screenwriter, and Producer; Edgar Wright revealed as first ever Patron of The Mowlem, Swanage

Edgar Wright unveiled as Patron of Swanage Theatre.

The Mowlem reveals the Director, Screenwriter and Producer as the first-ever Patron.

Swanage, UK – The Mowlem Institute Charity is excited to reveal its first-ever Patron, Edgar Wright [IMDb], the award-winning English filmmaker. Edgar Wright, born and raised in Swanage before moving to Somerset, is best known for his comedic Three Flavours Cornetto film trilogy; Shaun of the Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007), and The World’s End (2013).

During the summer of 2022, Edgar and his brother, Oscar Wright [IMDb], visited The Mowlem during a trip to the town. Posting on Instagram, Edgar wrote: “Some films we saw at the Mowlem on first release include; the Ralph Bakshi animated ‘Lord Of The Rings’, ‘Watership Down’, ‘Star Trek: The Motion Picture’ and ‘Clash Of The Titans’. So glad it’s still here and showing movies!“

Wright’s connection to the local area also includes his attendance at Bournemouth and Poole College of Art and Design (now Arts University Bournemouth) in 1994, where he received a National Diploma in Audio-Visual Design before going on to make his first feature film, A Fistful of Fingers, shortly after in 1995. In 2018 the Arts University Bournemouth awarded Wright an Honorary Fellowship.

Wright is also credited with co-writing and directing the cult classic Scott Pilgrim vs the World (2010), the action film Baby Driver (2017), the music documentary The Sparks Brothers (2021), and the psychological horror film Last Night in Soho (2021).

“I was born and raised in Dorset and lived in Swanage until I was 7. The Mowlem was one of the first cinemas I ever attended, and it was partly responsible for a film fandom that continues to this day. Some movies I saw there in first release with my parents and older brother Oscar, included the Ralph Bakshi animated ‘Lord Of The Rings’, ‘Watership Down’, ‘Star Trek: The Motion Picture’ and ‘Clash Of The Titans’.

I returned to Swanage for a break last summer and was thrilled that the Mowlem was still showing movies. Standing in the auditorium again was a very pleasant experience, and I hope to be down again soon. I am proud to be a patron; I’m a film director now, but I never stopped being a film-goer. Keep up the great work.” Said, Edgar Wright.

Official Statement from the Board of Trustees:

The Trustees of the Mowlem Institute Charity are pleased to announce that Edgar Wright has agreed to become the first Patron of The Mowlem Theatre. The appointment of a Patron for The Mowlem Theatre was an aspiration stated in our 2022 Business Plan but not one we imagined would be fulfilled so quickly. Finding a Patron with an incredible catalogue of work and a genuine connection to Swanage and The Mowlem goes far beyond what we had envisaged. We are very grateful to Mr Wright for agreeing to become our Patron.

We look forward to working with him to continue our work to make The Mowlem Theatre not just the cultural hub of Swanage but also a destination for visitors from across the region and beyond.

Additional Quotes:

“We’re absolutely thrilled to present Edgar Wright as the first Patron of The Mowlem Theatre. Edgar is one of the most distinctive and influential filmmakers working in the UK today and it was fantastic to find out The Mowlem was his childhood cinema. We’ve been working hard to generate a feeling of renewal and excitement around The Mowlem, and what can be more exciting than having Edgar Wright as our Patron.” said Paul Angel, Chair of The Mowlem Institute Charity.

“We are delighted that the brilliant Edgar Wright has agreed to be our first Patron. His endorsement of ‘The Mowlem’ as a seminal childhood cinema in the 1980s, just goes to show how important it is that we continue to provide top-quality film, music and theatre for future generations.” said Laura Dickens, Trustee and Fundraising Project Manager.

This announcement comes just a few short months after The Mowlem released, in its entirety, The 2022 Business Plan. It tackles subject areas including; the history of the Trust, where it is today, organisational change, governance, funding, and re-imagining the building on Shore Road. More information, including the entire Business Plan’ Planning for change’, can be downloaded via https://www.themowlem.com/businessplan.

Back-to-Back Record Years for West London Fintech Business

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16/03/2023

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Back-to-Back Record Years for West London Fintech Business

A West London-based fintech and proptech business has reported back-to-back record years with an overall 125% growth of the business since 2020.

Within the last financial year, The Smart Group achieved its first £5 million revenue quarter, with a record 11,000 trading customers.

Established in 2004, The Smart Group specialises in international payments and risk management, as well as fintech and international property.

Through its brands including Smart Currency Exchange, Your Overseas Home and Property Guides, The Smart Group spans the entire value chain of international payment industries.

Combined, the brands have delivered outstanding growth over the past year, with the award-winning 110-strong team transacting over 11,000 unique customers.

This has helped contribute to the business achieving its first ever £5 million revenue quarter in 2021, leading to 28% overall growth.

Now the business plans to build its client base by a further 40% in 2023, as well as establish two new, standalone business units which will benefit from the infrastructure already in place: Smart Currency Fintech and The Luxury Collections.

Trevor Charnley, managing director of Smart Currency Exchange commented: “The 2021/2022 financial year was one of significant progress for The Smart Group’s private client division – not just against pandemic levels, but against pre-pandemic levels too. It resulted in a record year for the division, achieving 42% growth year-on-year.

“We expect even further growth to be unlocked in the financial year of 2023 as we continue to adapt our service to the needs of our clients. Our ‘Platinum 200’ project, for example, is a bold objective to build our client base by another 40% in 2023. This will be underpinned by adding quality people to our growing sales and account management teams.”

For more information and to see The Smart Group’s annual report, please visit: https://www.smartcurrencyexchange.com/media/Smart-Group-Company-Results-21-22.pdf

It’s all Savvy Continues to Innovate the Dog Care Industry with the Launch of Two New Services

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16/03/2023

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It’s all Savvy Continues to Innovate the Dog Care Industry with the Launch of Two New Services

As a nation of dog lovers, it will come as no surprise that the average amount spent on caring for our canine companions is £1875 per year. It’s all Savvy is at the forefront of the dog care industry with solutions to help both pet care professionals and caring owners. With digital automation and online solutions becoming the norm, given the fast pace of daily life, the pet experts at It’s all Savvy are proud to relaunch Savvy Pet Stay and Savvy Groom School in honour of the annual Crufts event.

Savvy Pet Stay

Savvy Pet Stay is the modern solution to arranging daycare and boarding for dogs which have automated intelligence at their very core.

Designed to empower dog care providers with the digital tools needed to grow their business, the online solution allows bookings to increase whilst administration overheads decrease simultaneously.

The software can be configured to suit companies and offers a way to securely manage customers’ information and automate communications around appointment bookings. This allows all pet data to be stored in one central place, improving operational efficiency and customer experience. Another Savvy Pet Stay feature is easily managing billing and contracts, ending financial headaches and taking away from the task at hand. Payment can also be facilitated through the software and sending invoices and reminders for overdue fees.

Choosing a service provider to care for a loved pet can be a daunting task which the software also offers to help. The professional experience and seamless booking system ensure that customers are assured of legitimacy around all businesses using the platform. This enhances trust and ensures that any Savvy Pet Stay listed companies are a chosen provider.

Furthermore, in line with the UK’s home boarding regulations that align with the Animal Welfare Act 2018, the platform allows clients to assess the suitability of a potential dog-care company based on their legal compliance. As a result, the platform is also doing its bit to help regulate the industry and keep the nation’s canines safe.

Pricing starts from just £35 per month for the basic package, which includes all scheduling and customisation features.

Savvy Groom School

The dog grooming industry is expected to grow by an annual rate of 5.7% from 2023 to 2032 which is a direct result of the increased number of pet dogs in the UK. It’s all Savvy, along with many others, believes that dog grooming in the UK should be professionally trained and managed, which is why the Savvy Groom School software was launched. The platform was also created to alleviate the pressures that busy trainers face by offering one central way to manage salons and students. Combing automation and administration into one concise place, Savvy Groom School allows training schools to manage their entire client network in just a few clicks.

This tool is designed to help dog grooming educators reach new potential students and manage their client lists professionally. Another feature is that trainers can assign their students to appointments which helps manage not just the incoming work, but also the training progress of each pupil. Safety is also ensured with fully compliant and security-enriched software processes, which allow grooming trainers to store data safely online.

Appointments for training sessions can also be booked easily through the platform, taking away the associated administration and allowing business owners to spend their time doing what they love.

The Savvy Groom School costs just £100 per month. This includes full administration of student report cards, course management, unlimited use of automated communications, CRM integration, and calendar management, including onward communications. You can also save £100 when you choose the annual billing subscription plan, which takes admin pressure away for an entire business year.

How Can It’s all Savvy Benefit Professionals?

Both software tools can be completely personalised using company branding. This is because It’s all Savvy aims to provide solutions that professionalise a company’s image. By associating full personalisation of calendars, content, and colours, companies can use the software to extend their existing websites.

The entire portfolio of It’s all Savvy software solutions are also compatible with Quickbooks, Stripe, Google Calendar, Gmail, and Paypal. As some of the most used pieces of software in the market, this ensures companies do not have to amend their existing processes when adopting these new systems. Instead, they can be seamlessly integrated into existing or new businesses.

Furthermore, every platform business feature is listed for free within the Savvy Bookings mobile app and online directory, making it easier for clients to find their new service providers. Connecting customers with companies is the main aim of these platforms, but as you have read, the benefits don’t stop there.

Both platforms also benefit from a 14-day free trial so that companies can test the product before investing in the solution properly. During this period, full access is given to all the personalisation features so that business owners can understand how automation could elevate their business.

Pet-Care in the Digital Age

Both Savvy Groom School and Savvy Pet Stay have been created to revolutionise the dog care sector.

For clients, Savvy Pet Stay allows safe solutions to be chosen easily for boarding the dogs. Consumers want to be connected seamlessly with a professional company they can rely on to provide a high level of service. By automating admin and optimising digital platforms, a company’s number of clients exposed increases, and longer-term connections are more likely to be made.

Professionals are also considered with the It’s all Savvy portfolio, as Savvy Groom School is a tool that benefits business owners. Centralising processes means that training academies can advertise themselves to more students, which means improved earning potential.

Having a solid digital presence should also not have to take away from the daily duties which these platforms achieve for any business. As such, the Savvy software offers an insight into how It’s all Savvy believes the dog care industry should be future-proofed.

To find out more, visit the below websites:https://savvypetstay.com/https://savvygroomschool.com/

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Savvy Pet Stay App Promotional Asset (Image: via Its All Savvy, copyrights All Savvy)

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Savvy Pet Stay App Promotional Asset (Image: via Its All Savvy, copyrights All Savvy)

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Savvy Groom School App Promotional Asset (Image: via Its All Savvy, copyrights All Savvy)

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Savvy Groom School App Promotional Asset (Image: via Its All Savvy, copyrights All Savvy)

Partridges 5th Annual World Chelsea Bun Awards Judged by Lady Sophie Windsor & Jane Asher

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16/03/2023

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Partridges 5th Annual World Chelsea Bun Awards Judged by Lady Sophie Windsor & Jane Asher

Lady Sophie Windsor, also known as the actress Sophie Winkleman, and actress and cake expert Jane Asher, who are both patrons of The Children’s Surgery Foundation, will judge the World Chelsea Bun Awards this year. Other judges will include John Shepherd, owner of Partridges Fine Foods and Munther Haddad, the Chairman of The Children’s Surgery Foundation and a Senior Consultant Paediatric and Neonatal Surgeon.

This year for the 5th annual bake-off there will be both an Instagram Competition plus a Live Tasting Competition at Partridges in Chelsea. Although both competitions are free to enter bakers are encouraged to make a donation to the chosen charity, The Children’s Surgery Foundation.

To enter the Instagram Competition all bakers need to do is make some Chelsea Buns, photograph them and post the photo on Instagram using the hashtag #worldchelseabunawards and tag in @world.chelsea.bun.awards or email their photograph via https://www.worldchelseabunawards.com/ The competition closes at 5pm on Wednesday 17th May and the winner will receive a Partridges Hamper full of treats, a Partridges Certificate and a World Chelsea Bun Awards apron donated by Initially London.

To enter the Live Tasting Competition bakers need to bring or post their Chelsea Buns to Partridges, 2-5 Duke of York Square, Chelsea, London SW3 4LY, to arrive by 5pm on Friday 19th May. Chelsea Buns can be entered into one of three categories: Children (under 18); Adults and Professional Bakers. Winners of each category will receive a bespoke Partridges hamper, a certificate, a World Chelsea Bun Awards Winners Apron from Initially London and the overall winner will become ‘The Supreme Champion Chelsea Bun Baker 2023’. On Saturday 20th May Lady Sophie Windsor, JohnShepherd and Munther Haddad will taste and judge the Chelsea Buns at Partridges in Duke of York Square. The buns will then be taken to The Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond for Jane Asher to judge them. Jane is performing the lead role in Somerset Maugham’s 1921 comedy The Circle from 29th April – 17th June 2023.

Buns in both competitions will be judged on how appetising they look, the originality/creativity of the recipe and the presentation/plating.

The winners will be announced on Instagram and at

https://www.worldchelseabunawards.com/ on Monday 22nd May 2022.

John Shepherd, Owner and Managing Directory of Partridges says…“The first Chelsea Bun was created around 1700 by Richard Hand close to Partridges’ store in Duke of York Square, Chelsea. Richard, known as Captain Bun, ran The Old Chelsea Bun House which was famous for its Chelsea Buns and counted King George II, King George III and their families amongst its customers. We are delighted to be holding the World Chelsea Bun Awards for the fifth year running and hope they will revive the baking of Chelsea Buns and help raise funds and awareness for The Children’s Surgery Foundation.”

Jane Asher says… “This wonderful charity is very close to my heart: it does so much to alleviate the potential pain and distress involved when little ones have to go through the trauma of surgery. Baking some delicious Chelsea Buns is a delightful way of raising money to enable us to do more, and I hope lots of you will join us in having a go.”

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WWW.WORLDCHELSEABUNAWARDS.COM

With Endorsement from ITV’s Holly Willoughby, TentBox Roof Tents Steal the Show at the NEC, With A New Product Launch

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16/03/2023

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With Endorsement from ITV’s Holly Willoughby, TentBox Roof Tents Steal the Show at the NEC, With A New Product Launch

TentBox, the UK’s revolutionary roof tentcompany, has made its debut at Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show 2023 at the NEC in Birmingham. Introducing two exciting new models and capturing the imagination of an audience that adored its ingenuity and ease, TentBox stole the show, becoming a hit on national TV and scoring a welcome endorsement from Holly Willoughby.

It was the first time TentBox had showcased its entire fleet of TentBox roof tent models for the public in one event space, but the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show was the perfect platform for it. The show is the biggest camping event in the industry’s calendar with over 400 big-name exhibitors across five vast exhibition halls and there was little doubt TentBox was the one to watch.

All four TentBox roof tents were on display on board a Land Rover Defender, Audi A4 estate, Renault Traffic camper and Fiat Panda to showcase the convenience, flexibility and affordability of every model in the range. Indeed, a steady stream of prospective adventurers queued to climb up and into each TentBox throughout the week.

TentBox kicked off its show with the launch of the new Lite XL, one of the most lightweight and versatile 4-person roof tents to emerge onto the market. This substantial, 62kg roof tent takes just a few minutes to set up and, with a price point of just £1895 for the promise of easy, comfortable and rugged family adventures under canvas, the orders soon began to roll in. Find more info on the new models here.

ITV’s This Morning broadcast (Holly Willoughby loved it!)

The press and public were quick to pick up on the buzz surrounding the launch and it wasn’t long before the TV cameras arrived. ITV’s This Morning presenter, Josie Gibson, broadcast her live report to the nation from inside the XL to the joy of the TentBox team – and an excited Holly Willoughby who described it as ‘Amazing’ and a ‘Treehouse’. The XL had certainly made its presence felt.

View the ITV This Morning footage here.

The all-new Lite 2.0, a clever upgrade of the brand’s mega-popular 2-person roof tent, was also launched at the show and, mounted on top of the Panda micro, drew hundreds of visitors into its new, improved space. At just 50kgs, 133cm wide and a very attractive £1295 price tag, the Lite 2.0 was a hugely successful launch for the brand with record enquiries still coming.

A quote from the founder

Founder and CEO, Oliver Shurville, puts the TentBox triumph down to the fleet’s versatility and scope to add an extra room and even more fun to every camping trip:

“TentBox was founded with inclusivity in mind,” says Ollie. “In other words, TentBoxing is for everyone, which is why our products can work on any vehicle and come at a range of price points. You can turn any car into a camper with ease or add a TentBox to your existing caravan/campervan set-up to create an extra bedroom, with epic, up-high views.

“We’re all about creating high-performance products that are easy to use at a price that everyone can afford. This approach, together with a continual focus on product excellence, customer service and our rapidly growing community of TentBoxers, is helping us become a household name in the outdoor space.”

It’s fair to say this year’s Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show was a phenomenal success for the brand with serious numbers of TentBoxes ordered and great contacts with exciting brand partners made at the show.

The new Lite XL and 2.0 are shipping in April so, if you want to turn your car into a camper and make light work of your next adventure, visit tentbox.com and discover the model that’s right for you and yours.

Visit the TentBox image gallery here
More info on the new products here

TentBox was founded in 2016 by Ollie and Neill Shurville. A TentBox is a hugely innovative way to convert any car into a campervan or add an extra bedroom to any caravan towing vehicle. Each comes with a super-comfortable, storage-savvy sleeping and living pod with a 6cm-thick memory foam mattress and a rugged exterior that pops up in seconds. With a choice of exciting models to suit every size car, TentBoxes are weatherproof, midgeproof, roomy and an affordable way for adventurers of all ages to enjoy camping, the great outdoors, epic road trips and festivals and spontaneous getaways. The TentBox Community and TentBox Ambassadors share the passion and lead the charge for the brand and meet regularly for TentBox events. Discover the TentBox concept at tentbox.com and be part of the adventure.

Book a TentBox roof tent test ride: TentBox models are available for press loans features and reviews. Please contact us to find out more.

Images: We have an extensive photographic library. Please contact us if you require further images in different resolutions or formats.

Contacts for information, comments and interviews:

Louise Beech, Press Relations | TentBox
+44 7885 821828 [email protected]

Dom Pemberton, Head of Partnerships and Events | TentBox
+44 7846 719835 [email protected]

New In-House Events Promotion Arm Named Citizen Live Launched by Citizen Ticket

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16/03/2023

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New In-House Events Promotion Arm Named Citizen Live Launched by Citizen Ticket

UK-based online ticketing and livestream events platform, Citizen Ticket, has recently grown its UK and European presence through the launch of a new promotion arm, Citizen Live.

As part of the expansion, the newly formed Citizen Live will host between 80 and 100 events this year in London, further afield in the UK, and Europe. Tickets for Citizen Live will be sold exclusively through Citizen Ticket, with every ticket sold, 5p goes towards planting trees in the UK – making it one of the most sustainable event ticketing platforms on the market.

The new promotion arm, Citizen Live, will be led by Harpo Scaini & Alesandro Sforza. Between them, Scaini and Sforza have over a decade of industry experience in creating, producing and selling out shows, and have hosted more than 300 events across the UK and Europe.

To celebrate the launch, Citizen Live will be hosting a launch event at Amazing Grace in London Bridge on Tuesday 28th March. Scaini and Sforza have secured Emma Noble to help mark the monumental night for the brand. Tickets for the event start at £13.50 and can be purchased via the Citizen Ticket website.

Harry Boisseau, Co-founder & CEO of Citizen Ticket, said: “We’re delighted to have Harpo and Alesandro on board and look forward to embarking on this next chapter for the business.

“Through ticketing thousands of events and analysing the data from Citizen Ticket, we can really get a grasp of what ticket purchasers are looking for and what there is demand for. We’re excited to host a wide range of events over the next year.”

Commenting on the launch, Harpo Scaini and Alesandro Sforza, said: “We share a passion for producing live events and we know that every detail matters. We’re excited to launch Citizen Live and continue promoting a strong line-up of events going forward.”

Citizen Live aims to create an established UK-based promoter that can also operate in Europe. It will tailor a live music product, expand a roster of artists, and venues and create the best live shows. The data and marketing reach of the Citizen Ticket platform will help market the shows and feedback data to help understand the type of shows that there is customer appetite for.

In 2023 Citizen Live will host 80-100 events at a mid-capacity range (200 – 600) with plans to focus on a larger scale, higher production and more ambitious live content within the next few years.

London Contemporary Juried Exhibition – Rush to the Wilderness

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15/03/2023

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London Contemporary Juried Exhibition – Rush to the Wilderness

Exhibition introduction: Rush to the Wilderness: As a result of the pandemic era, people’s perspectives have shifted and the interconnectedness of all beings has been highlighted, including nature itself. Inspired by artists collective urge to return to the wilderness, Artists explore the relationship between nature, human identity, and connection in the aftermath of a global crisis in this exhibition. As people navigate a new normal, people are reminded of the vital role that nature plays in people lives, providing solace, nourishment, and a sense of belonging. Through art and reflection, this exhibition invites everyone to immerse ourselves in the diversity of flora and fauna, to appreciate the delicate balance of ecosystems, and to cultivate a deeper connection to the natural world as people move forward in a post-pandemic era.

Selection criteria for the exhibition: The exhibition plan will be drafted by GALLERY NAT London, and will be called for globally in February 2023. It is open to outstanding professional artists from all over the world, and European art history critic Renaud Ego / Maxence Alcalde and GALLERY NAT London curator team will be invited / M P BIRLA MILLENNIUM ART GALLERY Tripartite joint selection. A total of 19 contemporary artists from the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, India, China, and Hong Kong, China were finally selected from the 370 artists who submitted submissions from around the world, and will be held at M P, London, England from March 15th to March 21st, 2023 Live exhibition at BIRLA MILLENNIUM ART GALLERY. At the same time, the GALLERY NAT London curator team will hold an exhibition reception on March 15, 2023. During the exhibition, various art awards will be selected for the exhibition theme “Rush to the Wilderness”. Each award is born from the works exhibited on the spot in line with the principles of fairness, justice and academics. After the end of the pandemic crisis, the world focuses on rationally returning to the inner connection of nature, philosophy, and human nature. The diversity of natural organisms, the inheritance of human civilization, and the changing contradictions of all parties in the society form a series of survival and thinking problems, and study the direction of social development.

Exhibition theme

Rush to the Wilderness – London Contemporary Juried Exhibition

Organizer

GALLERY NAT

M P BIRLA MILLENNIUM ART GALLERY

Exhibition reception

16:00, March 15, 2023 (Greenwich Mean Time)

Exhibition time

March 15-21, 2023

Exhibition address

4A Castletown Road West Kensington London W14 9HE

Curator

Xi Wang /Yue Yin / Wuchao Feng

The final selection of participating artists in the global public selection

Prasad Beaven / Yan Chen / Xiangyu Dong / Chun Han / Phil Hohn / Mack Gingles / Yizhu Gong / Stacy Isenbarger / Xiaotong Jiang / Saruha Kilaru / Danlei Kong / Steve Kong / Francesca Miotto / Giulia Simeoni / Josh Spindler / Annie Trevorah / Yijuan Wang / Zhuo Yao / Yuyi

Part of the exhibition works

Prasad Beaven Reflections II, 38 x 28 cm – Varvara Beaven

Phil Hohn “Nature Nurture ”Sculpture, 68 x 35 x 63 cm, 2022

Xiangyu Dong“Untitled” from series “In a Mood for Love”30x40cm, photography

Francesca Miotto“On the Fig tree ”oil on linen, 60×40 cm, 2023

Giulia Simeoni “Soffio (Egl. translation “Blow”)”Sculpture of Alabaster, Plaster, Rattan Wood and straw r – Total volume (W x L x H) ca. 35 x 35 x 40 cm – Year 2023

Annie Trevorah “Totems (series of 4)” Jesmonite, paint, 17 x 84 cm, granite boulder 30 x 51 cm, 09/22

Yijuan Wang“The girl living in the wilderness.”digital 2023

To Help Fill Vacancies, More Diversity is Needed in Construction

News Desk

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14/03/2023

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To Help Fill Vacancies, More Diversity is Needed in Construction

From a wide range of backgrounds in South London, young people are being encouraged to become construction apprentices in an aim to fill the vacancies at sites across the city.

Thousands of roles need to be filled at building sites across London as research shows more than 4,000 jobs will need to be filled every year for construction projects to be completed on time.

A campaign has been launched in a bid to meet these ambitious targets by highlighting the wide range of jobs that are available to apprentices in construction. The campaign includes two virtual information events, which are taking place later this month.

The South London Partnership (SLP) campaign is seeing councils, colleges and businesses in South London working together to find the construction apprentices and tutors needed across the industry.

Shane Routledge-McDonald, 21, an apprentice site manager with the Berkeley Group working on the creation of 926 apartments at the iconic Prince of Wales Drive development in Battersea, said: “After school I wanted to be able to find a way to expand my education while learning something new, and an apprenticeship ticked all those boxes.

“Ever since I’ve been young I’ve had a keen eye for detail and I liked making floor plans for my parents. When I looked into construction, site management suited me and what I wanted to do for a career.”

Shane is studying at Farnborough College of Technology to learn the skills needed to create the Prince of Wales Drive development, which includes resident facilities such as a swimming pool, bar, karaoke room and cinema. Following up on why apprenticeships are a good route into employment, he explained:

“I’d encourage anyone to become an apprentice because you get paid and you can actually see the job getting done rather than being in a room and someone just talking to you about the subject. You also gain skills a lot faster, and looking to the future, I want to complete this apprenticeship and my NVQ and then work up the ranks to become a project director.

“When I wake up in the morning it always puts a smile on my face knowing that I’m not only doing a job I love, but I’m also making my family proud as well.”

Supported by the Mayor of London, the SLP initiative comes after research revealed that more apprentices and tutors are needed across the city.

The South London Partnership is a sub-regional collaboration of five London boroughs: Croydon, Kingston upon Thames, Merton, Richmond upon Thames and Sutton. Apprenticeships are available in hundreds of careers including as a 3D Visualiser, Gas Service Installer, Building Technician or a Glazier.

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) recently released its annual Construction Skills Network (CSN) report which shows that Greater London needs 22,800 extra workers by 2027 – that means an annual recruitment boost of 4,560 must happen.

Tutors from a range of backgrounds are also needed to help apprentices achieve the qualifications they need to progress in the construction industry. They will be responsible for providing the support needed for apprentices to develop their technical skills – as well as professional attributes such as communication, problem-solving and teamwork abilities.

The virtual events include one for anyone wanting information on becoming a tutor on March 27 at 5pm https://www.eventbrite.com/e/become-a-tutor-in-construction-find-out-more-tickets-576344861997 and one for apprentices on March 30 at 4.30pm https://www.eventbrite.com/e/apprenticeships-in-construction-find-out-more-tickets-576195144187

For more information email [email protected] or visit http://southlondonpartnership.co.uk/skills/mayors-construction-academy-hub/

Legislate Earn $3.6M to Provide Startups & SMEs the Technology to Query and Compare Every Contract

News Desk

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14/03/2023

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Legislate Earn $3.6M to Provide Startups & SMEs the Technology to Query and Compare Every Contract

UK-based Legislate today revealed it has added $3.6M in funding in a round led by Parkwalk Advisors, with contribution from Oxford Capital and several high-profile angel investors. Using its patented knowledge graph technology, Legislate provides companies with ontologies of legal terms, allowing anyone in the business to semantically search for information across an entire database of contracts. The company, which until now has focused on creating a solution for startups and scaleups, is using the funds to double down on UK sales and prepare for international expansion in 2023.

“For scaling companies, keeping track of terms across hundreds or thousands of contracts is a challenge that creeps up on you. Searching for basic information like contract start and end dates, or nuances in confidentiality terms across entire databases of contracts is painfully manual, or impossible. Before working with us, we know that some of our customers would spend weeks doing this” said Charles Brecque, Legislate’s founder.

“By allowing companies to create their own ontologies of terms and making them semantically searchable, we enable anyone in that business to search for information in contracts, even if they don’t have a legal background. That’s incredibly powerful for scaling companies where business teams need to review terms across hundreds of contracts quickly to understand exposure to risks”, he continued.

With Legislate’s technology, contracts are first made machine-readable, this subsequently allows all business users to easily compare, create, query, and sign every contract without the need for outside legal involvement.

In 2022 the company announced it had been granted its second US patent for semantic document generation, further enhancing its patented knowledge graph technology – ultimately benefiting Legislate’s customers. Customers primarily use Legislate for employment, consultancy, internal contracts, and terms of business agreements.

“We are delighted to have secured additional funding capable of helping us continue to drive innovation in this sector. The grant of our second patent last year has put our technology in an extremely strong position coming into 2023 – we’re making it easier for businesses of all sizes to create and manage complex contracts quickly and in a way that allows them to extract and aggregate data afterwards. We’re looking forward to what we can achieve this year as we focus on our sales capability”, commented Charles Brecque, Founder and CEO of Legislate.

“Legislate has developed a unique solution to simplify contracting for SMEs and mid-market businesses in a way that scales. We’re confident that they are well-positioned to take a significant portion of the market. Their focus on making contracts machine-readable is particularly impressive and we believe it has the potential to be a game-changer in the industry,” commented Claire Pardo from Parkwalk Advisors.

“We are proud to back Charles and the team in their mission to use tech to revolutionise contract creation and management. Investing in Legislate is investing in the future of machine-readable contracts. Their patented Knowledge Graph system sets them apart from other technologies and makes it simple for people without legal training to access contracts created by lawyers and manage them effectively,” commented Stephen Hampson, Investment Director at Oxford Capital.

For more information about Legislate, visit their website at https://legislate.ai/

British Muslim Organisations Partner Up For ‘Fast Money’ in Ramadan’s Charity Spirit

News Desk

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10/03/2023

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British Muslim Organisations Partner Up For ‘Fast Money’ in Ramadan’s Charity Spirit

Muslim Aid has partnered with Muslims in Rail to launch our ‘Fast Money’ campaign to raise money for victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.

We’re calling on the UK to fast one day in Ramadan on 5 April on what we’ve declared to be ‘National Fast Day’ and give up your lunch money to feed fasting victims of the earthquake in Syria and provide emergency assistance to both Turkey and Syria.

Throughout the rest of the month, which will occur between 22nd March to 21st April, we ask that the British public donates what they’d pay for their coffee, lunch, or meal deal to the ‘Fast Money’ campaign.

In February, two deadly earthquakes of 7.8 and 7.6 magnitudes struck Southern Turkey and Northern Syria, killing at least 50,000 people. Muslim Aid, the second-oldest British Muslim charity that aims to serve humanity regardless of who they are and what they believe in, was one of the first to respond to this humanitarian catastrophe and is still on the ground helping victims rebuild their lives.

Muslims in Rail (MIR) is a national network of professionals drawn from leading rail and transport organisations and is committed to connecting, growing and inspiring people working or seeking a career in the rail industry.

The idea stemmed from the two organisations’ faith-inspired interfaith work to contribute to wider society indiscriminately and to unite the British public during one day of Ramadan for the good of humanity.

Since the start of the emergency last month, Muslim Aid has served nearly 10,000 people, providing fuel, food, blankets, water and sanitisation items.

“This is a great initiative to build a strong national community spirit for a great cause”, says Diana Alghoul, Muslim Aid’s Communications and Public Relations manager.

“We are proud of who we are and believe our Islamic ethos calls for us to be of service through unity, charity, and in this case, a lot of fun. We encourage everyone to try the fasting challenge or at the very least, be part of the spirit of charity that Ramadan brings in all of us and donate.”

Nasir Khan MBE, Co-Founder and Director of Muslims in Rail, says: “We are not living in a perfect world; economic distress, rising inflation and worsening geopolitical situation has created several constraints, but we are still privileged to have food, shelter, and health.”

“Our partnership with Muslim Aid means that we will be able to give back to those that are most in need. Bringing food to the disaster-stricken people of Syria and Turkey will help bring meaning to life, and create opportunities to nurture and strengthen our personal values.”

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