Nurture News

A businessman recovering from a severe joint disorder that left him unable to walk has trekked up the Wrekin 12 times – covering 200k – to raise money for those fleeing domestic violence. Neil Hargreaves, a sign-maker and printer, from Great Wyrley, made the 16k trip round the Wrekin 12 times on behalf of his company Q Safe Solutions which is part of Aqua Sign and Print – completing a third of a million steps. He has managed to raise half of his £1,400 total for Midlands charity the Buddy Bag Foundation, that provides bags of essentials and home comforts

Having a good laugh before a business meeting can be the key to success, according to a West Midlands business leader. Pete Higgs said during the coronavirus crisis many business owners were feeling anxious and uncertain about the future and it was more important than ever to stay positive. “One of the simplest ways to do this is to smile or have a genuine hearty belly laugh before you join your networking meeting,” he said. “This releases the right chemicals in the brain to relax you and feel positive. It starts with a positive attitude and a smile to create

Two community-minded brothers are set to disrupt the payments industry by putting social conscience firmly at the heart of their new fintech start-up. Danny and Lee Dunne have launched Payaro Ltd, a payments company which will operate initially within the UK and will automatically support good causes. The team will initially take on 16 staff employed at their headquarters in Burton Upon Trent, Staffordshire, plus a team of 60 self-employed sales agents. There are plans for further recruitment of 200 more self-employed sales agents during 2021 as the business grows, as well as expanding their internal employed team. Payaro’s ground-breaking

The charity Newlife has launched a new online shop offering designer clothes at bargain prices to help raise vital funds after lockdown forced its seven stores to close. Newlife now offers a range of clothes, footwear and accessories for sale on online fashion marketplace Depop. The Depop store includes items from big designer names like Givenchy, Moschino and Gucci alongside items from more mainstream brands like Fila and Converse, all of which can be found in Newlife’s retail stores. Among the high-end items on the Depop platform are a ladies Gucci T-shirt that normally sells for around £340 and is

Midlands volunteers have come to the rescue of desperate ICU staff driven to breaking point by Covid and forced to appeal for help with basic wellbeing items. The Hampers for Heroes team members were shocked when they received a request from doctors asking for simple items like coffee and toiletries to help them through the growing pressures of the pandemic. The staff revealed the daily struggle of coping with the pandemic, saying they had suffered mental health issues and burnout and often ended up driving home in tears. Hampers for Heroes immediately launched an appeal for help and in just

A dog trainer has launched a nationwide mission to help children and dogs live safely together and to stem the rising number of youngsters being bitten by their pets. Debby Lucken said many families who took on a dog were unaware of the issues that could arise – from overconfident children leaving pets stressed and anxious to youngsters who were petrified of animals. Either situation could lead to the child being at risk of being bitten or attacked. When lockdown struck last year, Debby set up a Facebook page called Kids Around Dogs to offer help in this area. Inquiries

A team of robots are at the heart of a new venture as a Birmingham businesswoman finds new ways of helping clients save time and money. Miranda Joseph’s futuristic helpers can be trained to ensure maximum efficiency in running a company – saving hundreds of thousands of pounds every year and helping businesses survive and prosper. Miranda is the founder of digiworkr which is demystifying what’s known as Robotic Process Automation. Designed for finance teams, it sees robots take over admin tasks like finance processes and maintaining records. Unlike R2-D2 or C-3PO, her robots are of the software variety and

The founder of a Midland charity that helps children fleeing domestic violence at home has been awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honours list. Karen Williams, CEO of The Buddy Bag Foundation, was recognised by the Queen for her services to victims of domestic abuse. The foundation provides buddy bags – back packs filled with home comforts and essential items – to children living in emergency accommodation. That can be refuges, hotels or B&Bs. Since its launch in 2015, the foundation’s volunteers have packaged and delivered over 30,000 bags to children after raising more than £750,000. Karen, 59, who