Our first event of the year was set to be an outstanding one for many reason…

Most importantly, it was the first event with our new Managing Director, Claire. Having joined us in January, this was her first time hosting our events – and it’s fair to say it was the best yet.

A room packed full with 95 business owners, managers, businesses development executives, and so many others who are making an impact in the Wakefield district.

Claire executed so many new concepts for this event, including having 10 stands along the side of the room, homed by a selection of our members who were showcasing what they do to the nearly 100-strong crowd.

A different venue to what we usually use worked immensely well, Venue 23 was the ideal location and created an atmosphere that hasn’t been matched at any other We Are Wakefield event.

Our main speaker of the morning, Paula Appleton of Family Fit spoke inspiringly, explaining how by adding more exercise into your daily lives and routines can aid greatly with mental health benefits. Matching her passion with numbers, she explained how many days of working were lost to mental health sickness and continued to teach the benefits of how more than just yourself can benefit from taking care of your mental fitness.

The atmosphere and socialisation in the room was beyond any other we have ever held, and we’re keeping that momentum going. Our March event, being held at Production Park, is set to be another fire cracker and event bigger than the last!

We have yet another new member to welcome to the We Are Wakefield team, so grab a cuppa and take some time to learn more about Junction 32!

A lot of people believe that Junction 32 is just a shopping outlet, but it is so much more.

When it first opened in 1999 as part of a regeneration scheme of Glasshoughton, the destination was one of the first purpose built outlet centres in the UK! It has since gone from strength to strength and come out stronger than ever through bank crashes, a pandemic and financial crisis’s. It now has 725 employees, of which 91% live in the Wakefield area… so it really is a place for the Wakefield people.

Despite being an outlet centre, they have raised over £15,000 for their nominated charity, The Prince Of Wale Hospice, worked in partnership with so many different charities to help raise fund and awareness for organisations including Beat Autism, Leeds Mind, Cash for Kids, the Royal British Legion, and many more.

Junction 32 also aim to provide school children with the skills they need when they leave school, which is why they work with Work Ahead to undertake mock interviews, CV workshops and career panels to prepare them for what their future holds.

Being as sustainable as possible and helping the environment where they can, J32 have reduced their carbon footprint through engaging with their stores to reduce the energy consumption used, by using green energy suppliers and the introduction of LED lighting across the area.

All of this goodness has not gone unrecognised, with the outlet being shortlisted for 2 PFM Awards, 2 SCEPTRE Awards, a Wakefield Business Excellence Award and were the winner of WBBW Award in 2021. They have been awarded Diamond status for their Changing Place and Platinum status for their toilet facilities in the 2022 Loo of the Years Awards!

We’re still at the beginning of the year and a lot of us have vowed New Year’s resolutions towards our health and fitness. Some of us are healthy and take care of their fitness all year round, irrespective of where you are, what you do and how you feel, YFN Global can help you to reach your goal – and that’s not just for a personal goal.

Whether it’s individual training or collectively as an employer for your workforce to uplift spirits, well-being and engagement You Fitness Network csn help uo do more, and be more.

With a plethora of highly qualified nutritionists and fitness coaches, this brand has all the experience needed to put you through your paces and create the best version of yourself.

But YFN Global was born from something more powerful than just fitness, Founder and CEO, Alexandra Forrest, explains why:

“A few years ago, I suffered from a series of mental traumas, which resulted in a diagnosis of chronic depression. Not pleasant, I can tell you.

“Even now, that part of my life is still foggy and not a place to which I’d want to return to. Sadly, this is becoming all too common.

“Aside from the support of my family, the only way in which I could look forward to temporary relief was when I exercised.

“As I walked through the doors at my local gym, I was transported to a different place, I was in a different mindset. My endorphins were pumped up, resulting in the feel-good transmitters rushing through my brain. For that period of time, I did not worry or analyse the ‘what-ifs’.”

Launched in memory of her father, YFN Global was born through Alexandra, and aims to provide so many more benefits than just getting healthy physically.

This cost effective, convenient and fun way to take care of your fitness, health and well-being goals can all be achieved from the comfort of your own home or workplace.

One of newest additions to the We Are Wakefield community is IPEX Technologies.

IPEX Technologies is an IT service provider, providing independent advice and services for a range of different businesses, both locally and nationally.

They provide a complete end-to-end IT strategy for their customers, meaning all clients can access each of their services under one roof. Truly taking care of all your IT needs.

They have a vast array of digital knowledge and experience in the latest technologies to ensures all clients are aided in defining their digital vision and delivering impactful changes.

IPEX specialise in Microsoft 365, CRM’s, IT Security, telephone systems, broadband, device management and IT Support.

Why not take a look at their website now – https://ipextechnologies.co.uk/

This independent recruitment agency based in Ossett brands itself on a ‘refreshingly different’ approach to recruitment. Founded in 2003, this company has gone from strength to strength over the years and after celebrating it’s 18th birthday – it isn’t set to slow down anytime soon, and we’re so glad to have them on board as our newest members!

So, what do Juice Personnel do? They provide a first-class approach to providing recruitment service to clients and candidates throughout Yorkshire. Their approach, unlike any other, ensures that they achieve results to an outstanding outcome to everyone who works with them.

With their team having a vast knowledge and experience in a number of different sectors between them, this means that Juice Personnel can offer a broad variety of recruitment services across the personnel, commercial, logistics, automotive and industrial sectors.

Besides just taking care of clients, the thousands of candidates who have passed through Juice Personnel over the years have been placed perfectly in a role that is equally as great for them as it is for their client too.

But don’t just take our word for it, Juice Personnel is not short of good reviews and referrals from their extensive client list who have worked with them over the past 18 years, take a look at their impressive testimonial reviews on their website – https://www.juicepersonnel.co.uk/

 

Blossom Self Defence originally started years ago when founder Madeline France set up a woman’s only self-defence class following a large request of women wanting to learn how to defend themselves but weren’t interested in martial arts or combat style class.

So what’s different about Blossom?

This is not a scary, intimidating class filled with frightening people – it’s a safe and inclusive environment where people of all ages and abilities are welcomed to learn and develop their skills.

The majority of self-defence classes are run in a martial arts environment using complex and tricky techniques, but Blossom train using a medically certified techniques. They also follow a legal framework which focuses on providing a strong understanding of the legal framework that supports the use of force.

We caught up with Rachael Allen from Blossom Training, and she said:

“At Blossom our training content has been built based on personal experience, our success comes from our desire to influence change and promote positive outcomes through effective self defence education and training.

“We offer half day or full day one off courses, either direct to the public or via group booking.

“The courses are designed to have maximum impact and help build confidence, resilience, mental and physical courage and leave you feeling more empowered.

“Our course is completely unique, with a mixture of theory and physical techniques, and here at Blossom we do not encourage combat but instead teach breakaway and disengagement techniques, which allow for space and time to react appropriately, either calling for help or escaping the situation.

“Since we established in August 2021, we have taught over 80 delegates who have all rated us 5 stars on their reviews. If you want to feel more confident or you’d like your teams or user base to be more confident, come and spend the day with us and we guarantee you will leave us ready to take on any challenge life may throw at you.”

Saving the planet really is at the pinnacle of people’s thoughts at the moment. The planet is getting hotter, resources are running out, and it’s only human nature that can change this… that’s why SoluPak are set to save the planet with their sustainable and eco-friendly solutions to our everyday needs.

And we’re so happy to have them on-board as one of our newest members, so together we can all save the planet.

So who are SoluPak and what do they do?

Based in Castleford, this environmental hub is changing the way we clean, making it more ethical and sustainable so together we can all do our bit to help save the planet. Alongside this, they do not test on animals – never have and never will! By being accredited by Cruelty Free International and the Vegan Society, you can be rest assured that they follow all procedures to stay ethically minded.

They are leading the way in a number of different industry sectors including facilities management, building and construction, medical instrument cleaning, dental applications, agricultural and so many more, as the cleaning solution go-to brand.

This all sounds well and good, but most ethically sourced, environmentally great products are generally a lot more expensive than everyday brands, well SoluPak’s value-for-money cleaning concentrates will not break the bank.

Marketing Manager at the firm, Sophie Burgess, said:

“SoluPak develop and manufacture eco-responsible cleaning products that reduce single use plastics from the supply chain.

“The SoluPak cleaning range is encapsulated in water soluble PVA film which completely dissolves when added to water.

“Not only this, but the trigger spray bottles are Bottles4life which means they don’t end up in landfill like many of our competitor’s solutions do.

“In addition to this, we have a commitment to NetZero, which is demonstrated through our Planet Mark accreditation, as well as our short term and long term targets which are highlighted in the company’s sustainability report.

“For SoluPak, we want to produce eco-responsible, innovative solutions that create real change to the commercial cleaning industry, and we also ensure that the business operates day in day out with the environment at the forefront.”

 

Following the vast growth and numerous new members, we are so happy to announce another one of our newest additions to the We Are Wakefield family!

Sitting of Halfpenny Lane in Pontefract, we caught up with Marketing Manager, Dora Hardy, where she told us all about the Hospice.

We are The Prince of Wales Hospice. We have been providing special care to people with a life-limiting illness since 1989. Our services are available to the communities in the Five Towns area of Wakefield district. We care for anyone over the age of 18, either as a visiting out-patient, or on our ward where we offer 24-hour specialist care. Our care also extends to the carers and families of our patients, who often need us just as much.

Our Hospice helps people live better with their illness, with over half who stay with us eventually returning home after overcoming a specific problem. Many choose the safety and dignity of our Hospice for care at the end of their life.

We provide our care free of charge, but only about a 25% of the cost is covered by the NHS. This means we have to raise over £3m a year through our shops, fundraising events, donations and fundraising initiatives in our communities. Of every £1 we raise, 88p is spent directly on patient care and 12p is invested in raising more funds.

There are many ways businesses can get involved and support us such as sponsoring our exciting events and team challenges, organising staff fundraising, volunteering or donating goods. We also offer room hire facilities and catering for business meetings or social events. We build good relationships with our partners and find the best ways to work together.

Fundraising Manager at The Prince of Wales Hospice, Jill Kirkham, said: “We are delighted to have become members with We Are Wakefield.

“We have worked with Claire Sutherley, both as a volunteer and a partner business within our own business club called Club 5.

“We have a shared vision of improving networking for businesses in the district and creating long term beneficial partnerships to all parties.

“We are very excited to see how we can work together alongside one another.”

A lot of people can probably agree that will writing is something that they put off for fear of not wanting to face it – it seems like such a scary and daunting process – but when you think about it, it’s something that HAS to be done.

That’s why we’re so thrilled to announce we now have a will writing company in our immense array of members, please welcome Jodie Lawton to the family!

By offering a comfortable, friendly and open service, Jodie can really make you feel at ease during a process that can usually be confusing and for some, upsetting. No matter what you talk about, it will always be kept in the strictest confidence and nothing will be set in stone until you are 100% satisfied that everything you need has been sorted.

“I became a will writer because I know first-hand how important wills can be,” Jodie explains.

“Without them, grieving partners, children and families may be left with all kinds of legal administrations.

“In some cases. families may not be legally allowed to unlock assets at all! That simply isn’t right – and all honestly, I believe there is a lot of confusion surrounding wills. Your will doesn’t have to be something you think about at the last minute. What’s more, writing your will doesn’t have to be scary, or rigid, or complex.”

Jodie understands the problems that people may face if there is no will in place, for example families and parents already struggling with grief will find themselves with mounds of paperwork and costs they may not be able to afford if there is not the correct will in place to help.

With years of experience behind her as a professional will writer, Jodie will be able to answer any queries with the utmost consideration and empathy for all situations.

“A will that isn’t written with care and attention can make lives very difficult. I want to help people avoid this kind of difficulty.

“As an experienced will writer and qualified accountant I’m in a great position to offer genuine empathy and support throughout the whole process.

“I’ll give you the time you need to make your final decisions and write your will for you. I work with people of all ages and from all backgrounds – it’s so important to protect what’s yours, and what belongs with your family.”

Our biggest change this year is the appointment of our new Managing Director, Claire Sutherley.

With over 20 years of experience in the business sector, Claire has the knowledge, skills and know-how to making a business work.

Having lived and worked in the Wakefield and Five Towns District for many years, she understands the local economy and how to help SME’s, alongside large national companies and global brands.

Claire is taking the front seat in the We Are Wakefield wheels, to drive the company to huge successes. She has already implemented and executed so many objectives in her first week, with her yearly plans set to spear-head the market.

Her inbox is always open for new and existing members to talk about anything they need, and she means anything. Struggling to get clients? Want to know where you can find support? Just need someone to chat to? Get in touch with Claire and [email protected]!

“I am here to discuss with everyone what their vision is and how we can help you get there.
” I’m going to create a valuable, engaging network of support for businesses in the Wakefield District, a way of connecting businesses and building a community environment.”

Our Social Media Executive is now a permanent member of the We Are Wakefield team!

Having started with company back in July, Megan was appointed on a temporary contract, but has since shown her skills and talents and we are now thrilled to have her as part of our permanent team.

Many of the existing members will already have chatted to Megan, whether it has been through email, video chat, or at one of our events. Although in the background, she plays a vital part of the We Are Wakefield team, and makes sure that all staff, trustees, and board members and our network and connected.

Megan is here to promote your business in any way she can. With years of experience in the marketing industry, she can roll with any idea you give her or come up with an original proposal for you.

Need some social media support? She can help with that too. Together with you, she can help you plan posts and get the most out of social media to make the most out of the current market.

“I’ve got so many skills from design to marketing to social media to creative writing, I can help large and small businesses get the most out of what’s on the current market.
“Media and marketing is an ever and fast-changing industry, so I make sure to keep on top of trends which some people might not have the time to, that’s why I can help people.”

Make sure to get your ticket to our 2022 Vision Networking Event this February…

Not a member but want to come along to see what we’re about? All non-members get the chance to visit one of our events for free!

Follow this link to grab your ticket now: We Are Wakefield’s 2022 Vision Networking Event Tickets, Fri 4 Feb 2022 at 09:30 | Eventbrite