Serving the Teesside Business Community | 105
/ DARLINGTON NEWS
Rockliffe chef Aaron Craig has been
accepted as a full member of the Master
Chefs of Great Britain.
Almost a third of the UK’s entire
chemical output is produced by the
Tees Valley and has the largest private
wire electricity network in the country,
enabling manufacturers to realise
significant savings.
#TalkingUpTeesside
Dentist acquires
first two practices
ROCKLIFFE’S AARON BECOMES
MASTER CHEF OF GREAT BRITAIN
O
ne of Rockliffe Hall’s executive chefs,
Aaron Craig, has been accepted as a
full member of the Master Chefs of
Great Britain (MCGB).
Formed in 1980, the association has an
exclusive membership made up of some of
the most notable head chefs, chef/patrons
and head pastry chefs around the country.
The MCGB’s main aims are the training
and development of young chefs and the
promotion of the best produce available in
Britain.
Members also work closely with
their local colleges, providing support to
students hoping to join the hospitality
industry.
Aaron, who heads up The Brasserie
restaurant and New Hall dining at Rockliffe
Hall, Hurworth, has worked at the five red
star resort for five years.
Before joining Rockliffe Hall, Aaron, who
lives in Richmond, North Yorkshire, worked
as head chef in a number of critically
acclaimed restaurants, many at two or
three-rosette level, and also worked at
Heston Blumenthal’s three Michelin Star
Fat Duck restaurant in Bray, Berkshire.
Aaron is already an advocate for
supporting local food producers and works
with Darlington College, most recently
partnering with catering students there
for the hotel’s Aspiring Chef of the Year
competition.
“I am delighted to have been accepted
as a full member of this elite group of
chefs,” said Aaron.
Lingfield Point welcomes
charity’s national HQ BUSINESSMAN HOMES
IN ON CENTRAL
A charity dedicated to helping others
for more than 140 years has moved into
new headquarters to meet its growing
needs.
St John of God (SJOG) has taken
an office at YARN at Lingfield Point,
Darlington, where 26 of its staff will be
based.
Since its foundation in the north
of England, SJOG has grown to offer
services in 35 locations across the
UK – supporting people with learning
disabilities and complex care needs as
well as older religious communities. Darlington
has become
the centre
of the world
for global
commercial
consultant
Garry
Reeves,
who has
made the
town the base for his new company.
After 25 years of working and living
overseas, the Reeves family have finally
followed their hearts back to the town
where Garry and his wife Gill grew up.
And after finding the perfect place to start
up his company, Reeves Commercial, Garry
can continue to do business with energy
industry clients in every corner of the world
– from his new office at Business Central
Darlington.
Reeves Commercial currently employs
three people in Darlington at Business
Central and has a network of overseas
assignees.
A dentist has acquired his first two
dental businesses and introduced new
services with support from Lloyds Bank
Commercial Banking.
Dr Stephen Abdulla has acquired the
Hurworth Dental Practice in Hurworth
and Milnes Dental Practice in Darlington.
Stephen worked at the Hurworth
Dental Practice for several years before
taking ownership in February this
year and purchased the Milnes Dental
Practice business earlier this year.
LET’S GO TEES VALLEY
SUCCESS
Hundreds of people across Tees Valley
decided to switch from driving the car
alone to work in June, in favour of more
sustainable forms of transport, prompting
a dramatic increase in cycling, walking
and car-sharing across the region.
Figures released during National Bike
Week by Let’s Go Tees Valley from its
recent Commuter Challenge show that
of those who took part in the challenge,
15% switched to riding a bike to work.
Staff from EE in Darlington – Sean
McMenamin, Ena Westoe, Karen Young,
Paschal Kentish, Angela Howey and Alex
Cooper, pictured with Jonathan Scott
from Let’s Go Tees Valley – took part in
the area’s sustainable transport project,
which is funded via Tees Valley Combined
Authority.
It’s due to return for another week
in September – find out more at
letsgoteesvalley.co.uk