TEES FIRMS LAND £ 40M AVIATION BOOST
NEWS
Award-winner – Jessica Gwaringa , BME Business Person of the Year , sponsored by Teesside University .
Medical pioneer among those honoured in BME Awards
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Teesside medical pioneer and a local recruitment specialist were among those honoured at an annual celebration of diversity and inclusion .
Dr Iftikhar Lone received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2023 Tees Valley BME Awards , while Jessica Gwaringa of Moonrise 24hr Recruitment was crowned BME Business Person of the Year .
The event – now in its 13th year and held for the first time in the Pavilion at Kirkleatham Walled Garden – brings together individuals , groups and businesses committed to promoting diversity and resilience across the region .
Dr Lone was one of the first Asian doctors in the Tees Valley area and has devoted his life to healthcare and community service .
His enduring commitment to the NHS , advocacy for ethnic minority doctors and contributions to the spiritual life of the community were all recognised in this year ’ s headline accolade .
Winner of the BME Business of the Year was Stockton-based design and building services firm TaperedPlus , while Baltic Apprenticeships won the Apprenticeship Organisation Award and Middlesbrough
Making Teesside the UK capital of creating low-carbon aviation fuel has taken a big leap forward after a major funding boost .
Almost £ 40m from the Department for Transport ’ s Advanced Fuels Fund has been awarded to five Teesside-based firms leading the way in creating Sustainable Aviation Fuel ( SAF ).
The total award in the latest round of the fund was £ 53m – with companies with operations in the region taking home 75 per cent of the grant cash on offer .
Arcadia e-Fuels (£ 12.3m ), Nova Pangaea Technologies (£ 9.1m ), Alfanar Energy (£ 8.7m ), Abundia Biomass-to-Liquids (£ 4.5m ) and Willis Sustainable Fuels (£ 4.7m )
Dr Iftikhar Lone received the Lifetime Achievement Award .
College student Youssouf Sacko collected the Young Achiever in Education Award .
The annual celebration of the talents and contributions of individuals from Black and Minority Ethnic ( BME ) communities across the region was supported by headline sponsor Teesside University .
The awards acknowledge the challenges and inequalities that persist in communities across this region and beyond and celebrate the resilience and accomplishments of those striving to make a positive impact .
The event was hosted by former chief crown prosecutor Nazir Afzal , now an honorary Teessider .
TEES FIRMS LAND £ 40M AVIATION BOOST
were successful in their bids .
Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen said : “ We are leading the way in sustainable aviation fuel and this announcement just goes to show it .
“ We are committed to making aviation sustainable to secure the future of Teesside Airport and by getting ahead of the curve we can make sure we are best placed to lead the transition to SAF .”
Willis Sustainable Fuels is developing plans for a multi-million-pound refinery at Dorman Point , on the Teesworks site .
It will use power-to-liquid technology to convert carbon dioxide and green hydrogen into SAF , with its plant expected to be operational in 2026 .
BUSINESS BITES
LEVELLING UP CASH Billingham has been awarded £ 20m from the government ’ s Levelling Up Fund in a major boost to Stockton Council ’ s regeneration plans for the town centre .
The bid formed part of the ongoing town centres investment programme led by the council , with a masterplan for Billingham currently being prepared to explore potential redevelopment opportunities in the town .
The masterplan will build on the previous findings from the Let ’ s Talk About Our Towns public consultation in 2020 , assess potential opportunities for future development and how they can be delivered alongside the owners of the town centre .
COLLEGE AWARD Redcar and Cleveland College has been named AIM Empowering Futures ’ Access to Higher Education Centre of the Year .
Winners were announced at the Empowering Futures Conference at the East Midlands Conference Centre in Nottingham .
Redcar and Cleveland College ’ s executive principal , Jason Faulkner , said : “ Winning this award shows what we already know , that our staff go above and beyond for our learners and offer something extra special .”
TV PARTNERSHIP Creative talent from across the Tees Valley will get the chance to meet commissioning bosses as part of a new partnership forged with Channel 4 .
The £ 11.4m North East Screen Industries Partnership was backed by £ 4.5m of investment from the Tees Valley Combined Authority .
The agreement , delivered by North East Screen , aims to capitalise on wider commitments to help fund TV production and talent development across the region ’ s creative sectors .
Now Channel 4 has agreed a collaborative plan to forge closer ties with production companies in the North-East , boost training and open up career opportunities to a wider range of people .
AFTERNOON TEA Tees Business is hosting Sip & Style , an afternoon tea fundraiser in aid of the Power of Women campaign , 11am-2pm on Wednesday January 31 at Gisborough Hall .
Tickets , priced £ 40 each plus booking fee , can be purchased from the Power of Women Eventbrite page .
The voice of business in the Tees region | 19