DARLINGTON NEWS
TRAINING PROVIDER OPENS NEW BUSINESS
ACADEMY
Training provider Learning Curve Group ( LCG ) has given local employers their first look at its brand new Business Academy in Darlington .
The academy – which was officially opened by Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen – aims to close the business and digital skills gaps that many employers across the region have experienced by giving learners the skills , qualifications and digital awareness to succeed in the modern-day workplace .
More than 70 local business owners and employers came to LCG ’ s open event , which was held at the Old Exchange in Barnard Street .
Employers were able to see the purposebuilt collaborative space where learners will study a range of business courses including digital marketing , software development , cyber security and more . The academy will welcome more than 100 learners in September and has created eight jobs for
Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen with Learning Curve Group ’ s Brenda McLeish
local people .
Mr Houchen said : “ Learning Curve Group have created an amazing facility which will meet the needs of both young people and businesses across Teesside , Darlington and Hartlepool . It is important that education and training meets the needs of employers to enable businesses to thrive and young people to secure high-quality , well-paid jobs right here in the region .”
The academy has been designed to suit the needs of young people wanting to gain skills by giving them hands-on experience to keep them engaged . It has a specially designed interactive cyber room where learners will develop their coding and cyber security knowledge .
LCG is still taking enrolments for courses at the new academy . Visit lcgonline . co . uk / BusinessAcademy or contact BusinessAcademy @ LearningCurveGroup . co . uk .
£ 6.26m raised for 61- home development in popular village
A UK property and private equity manager has raised £ 6.26m to fund a 61-home development near Darlington .
Maven Capital Partners , in conjunction with Calmont Homes , raised the sum towards Oak Meadows , a new-build family home development in Middleton St George .
The transaction includes a £ 1.76m equity fundraise from Maven ’ s co-investor network , Maven Investor Partners , alongside a £ 4.5m debt facility from TOC Property Backed Lending Trust plc , managed by wealth management and property lending specialists Tier One Capital .
It ’ s the second transaction in eight months that Maven and Tier One have successfully concluded .
Digital agency gets to the heart of the matter
Digital marketing agency White Digital has gifted a community defibrillator to a recruitment agency that tragically lost a member of its team to cardiac arrest while at work .
After posting on LinkedIn , marketing manager Chloe Page was contacted by Ashleigh Wright at Westray Recruitment , in Gateshead , who explained how her colleague Glen had tragically died on-site in 2018 .
The device is now available for Westray staff and visitors and the local community in case of a cardiac arrest onsite or within a 200-metre radius .
Building society reveals strong financial results for the first half of 2021
Darlington Building Society has announced strong results and a growth in membership numbers in a remarkable first half to 2021 .
With investment happening in every part of the business , the society says the future looks even stronger .
Chief executive Andrew Craddock described the financial performance as “ evidence that the society ’ s strength of character and clear strategy of putting the members first is the right one .”
In the first six months of 2021 , 729 new borrowers joined the society as the total number of mortgage members rose to 9,217 , up from 9,138 at the end of 2020 .
PLANNING APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED TO RESTORE HISTORIC YARDS
Planning applications have been submitted in a bid to restore Darlington ’ s historic yards to their former glory , outlining upgraded shopfronts .
The plans were designed as part of Darlington Council ’ s multi-million-pound Towns Fund scheme .
The council enlisted the help of artist Nicky Peacock in collaboration with Northern Pulp Design to design the proposals to enhance , restore and showcase the town ’ s period character .
If approved , the Cheese and Wine Shop in Clark ’ s Yard , Yaeger barbers on Skinnergate and Acquaintance hair salon in Buckton ’ s Yard will be given makeovers .
The voice of business in the Tees region | 133