BUSINESS BITES
How the‘ AV experts to the stars’ have helped Tees Business establish awards events
NEWS
BUSINESS BITES
Support – Storm AV founder Chris Walton( centre left) and lighting technician Jack Rowell with Tees Business directors Martin Walker( left) and Dave Allan.
How the‘ AV experts to the stars’ have helped Tees Business establish awards events
For the past eight years, County Durham-based audiovisual company Storm AV have helped provide the professional audio, lighting and production equipment fundamental to making Tees Business award events tick.
From supporting events headlined by international pop stars – including Rick Astley, Heather Small and Olly Murs – to supplying services for King Charles at Windsor Castle in 2025, Storm AV has transformed into one of the most respected audiovisual brands in the UK.
Storm – which was founded by husbandand-wife duo Chris and Sara Walton – has helped Tees Business deliver 23 business events since the first awards ceremony held in 2018.
Storm also recently provided the AV and staging for an event to celebrate the launch of the 2026-27 issue of This Is Tees Valley – a national, annual publication published by Resolution Media and Publishing – at Teesside Airport.
Skills Launchpad inspires Stockton primary school boys to discover future trades
As prime minister Andy Burnham vows to put practical education on par with academia, a pioneering partnership between Stockton Riverside College and St Bede’ s Catholic Academy is helping primary school boys as young as eight discover the world of skilled trades and practical careers.
The seven boys, aged between eight and 11, took part in Skills Launchpad, an innovative six-week programme designed to inspire pupils about their skills and trade options later in life.
Through a series of hands-on sessions at the college, they explored bricklaying, motor vehicle maintenance, painting and decorating, electrical installation, carpentry and joinery, and health and care.
The initiative was developed by St Bede’ s headteacher Bernadette Rizzi-Allan and
Resolution director Martin Walker said:“ We’ ve worked with Storm AV across a number of major business events since 2018 and they’ ve been absolutely outstanding every single time.
“ Their professionalism, attention to detail and technical expertise give us complete confidence, whether we’ re delivering awards ceremonies or conferences.
“ Nothing is ever too much trouble, and the team are always calm, reliable and brilliant to work with under pressure.”
Chris and Sara – who have been married since 2002 – officially registered the company in 2014 after spending their early careers in the entertainment and events industries as performers.
Since then, Storm AV has gone from strength to strength, but not without the support from percussionist Roy Pearson and lighting expert Jack Rowell. Find out more about Storm AV and its services at stormav. co. uk
Inspiration – students from St Bede’ s Catholic took part in an innovative six-week programme designed to inspire pupils.
Grant Glendinning, chief executive and group principal of the Education Training Collective, which includes Stockton Riverside College.
Plans to expand the scheme come at a time when the new prime minister promises that children will be encouraged into technical training rather than academic education under plans that Mr Burnham said would“ value the hard hat as much as the graduation cap”.
TEESWORKS FUNDING A new financial framework to support the ongoing successful regeneration of the Teesworks site has been approved by Tees Valley Combined Authority.
Its cabinet approved proposals to formalise loan arrangements with South Tees Development Corporation( STDC).
The decision marks an important step in strengthening the financial governance arrangements underpinning one of the UK’ s largest brownfield regeneration projects, while ensuring robust oversight of public investment.
NEW BOHO OCCUPANT One of Teesside’ s oldest and best known buildings that’ s been a bank, private members’ club and offices is set to be given a surprising new lease of life under new ownership.
Gibson House, on Cleveland Street in Middlesbrough’ s Boho Zone, is a Grade II listed building, built in 1872, and was initially a National Provincial Bank before later being transformed into a private members’ club in the 1930s.
Award-winning tattoo parlour Skins & Needles has decided to move on from its current site on Linthorpe Road after 15 successful years.
PETITE’ S GLOBAL REACH One of the region’ s fastestgrowing social media businesses has secured its first major European contract, a milestone that marks a significant step in the agency’ s international growth. The partnership will see Stockton-based Petite Agency support marketing activity across Germany, Sweden and the Benelux region for global scaffolding and access solutions leader AT-PAC.
NEW CO-OP JOBS Wynyard Park has welcomed the opening of a new 4,500 sq ft Co-op convenience store at Roseberry Place on Hanzard Drive, delivering a major new everyday amenity to the growing community and marking the arrival of the retail scheme’ s anchor tenant.
The store, operated by Co-op, has created 13 local jobs and provides a convenient retail option for residents and businesses within the growing Wynyard Park development.
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