Bringing Aycliffe Business Park Together | 7
/NEWS
NEWS BRIEFS
DURHAM OKTOBERFEST
Companies strengthened their order
books as they showcased their wares
at an annual North-East business expo
event held in Newton Aycliffe.
Around 1,000 delegates and exhibitors
from more than 150 firms gathered
in the Xcel Centre for this year’s
Durham Oktoberfest, which allowed
organisations to meet potential suppliers
and customers.
Record numbers of 1,500 visitors have
previously visited Oktoberfest events,
which is now in its eighth year.
CONTRACT WIN FOR TEKMAR
Love, Dove Me Do!
Newton Aycliffe resident Joanna Davies is starting her own
business thanks to GAMP’s “Step into Business” scheme.
Joanna has always kept birds and started
“Love Dove Me Do”, a dove hire business
catering for all special occasions, as a way of
turning a hobby into a business.
Working with staff at South Durham
Enterprise Agency (SDEA), Joanna was able
to put together a business plan in order to
access the GAMP scheme.
This provided grant funding to purchase
essential equipment in order for her to start
her business.
Joanna, pictured above with GAMP coordinator Brian Riley, said: “I am so happy to
be starting a business hiring fantailed doves
in decorated cages.
“The idea came about when I rescued
three fan tailed doves which were covered
in oil. I took them in, nursed them back to
health and it started from there!”
SDEA chief executive Steve Robson said:
“It’s brilliant to be able to support, with the
assistance of the AAP, small, quirky and
innovative businesses to get off the ground.
Joanna has a great little business idea and
I’m sure it will take off.”
GAMP is the local Area Action Partnership
for Newton Aycliffe and Middridge.
Its boss Riley added: “It’s great to see
Aycliffe residents develop new businesses
in the GAMP area, we hope that Joanna’s
fledgling Business continues to fly high and
we wish her every success for the future.”
Looking for a new nursery?
A new nursery is due to open
which will be ideal for parents
who commute between Newton
Aycliffe, Darlington and Teesside.
Bishopton Redmarshall CE
Primary School has announced
it is opening an early years
foundation stage nursery in
January 2016.
The school has undertaken
extensive renovations to the
nursery classroom to create a
bright, spacious, custom-designed
learning environment in which
every child will be encouraged to
achieve their full potential.
The nursery will initially provide childcare
for around 12 children and will have the
scope to provide further places in the future.
Parents and carers of young children of
nursery age or below are welcome to visit
the nursery to experience the facilities on
Newton Aycliffe subsea cable protection
specialist Tekmar Energy has been
awarded a major contract to provide
its sixth generation TekLink mechanical
latch systems at the Burbo Bank
Extension offshore wind farm on the
North-West coast of England.
Tekmar will provide site operator DONG
Energy with 65 systems including
one export and nine bellmouths for
the 32-turbine, 258MW Liverpool Bay
development with Tekmar supplying its
sixth generation TekLink system for the
first time. The installation work is due to
start in early 2016.
The installation contract is with dredging
and marine construction specialist,
Jan de Nul (JDN), and will see Tekmar
working with DONG Energy for the
sixth time, underpinning the company’s
industry reputation as the partner of
choice.
£130K FUNDING FOR RELOCATION
Aycliffe printer Newton Press has
secured £130,000 of funding to support
its relocation to the Blue Bridge Centre.
The long established, family-run print
company has been backed with a
£130k financial package from UK Steel
Enterprise, the Tata Steel businesssupport subsidiary.
Made up of a £50k unsecured loan and
an £80k grant from UKSE’s Access
to Finance scheme, backed by the
government’s Regional Growth Fund,
the finance supports a project that will
create four new jobs and safeguard an
existing 13-strong workforce.
Newton Press, founded by Syd Howarth
in 1963, which specialises in full colour
printing, has also acquired five additional
pieces of high-tech machinery including
digital finishing equipment.
offer and to meet the professional teaching
staff.
For more information or alternatively
to organise a visit by appointment,
please contact 01740 630339 or
adminbr@brandh.darlington.sch.uk
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