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BUSINESS LEADER FUNDING TAKES PLANS FOR EAST LANCASHIRE FREIGHT RAIL TERMINAL TO THE NEXT LEVEL

A number of business leaders have pledged funds to support the development of a new East Lancashire Freight Rail Terminal on the site of the former Huncoat Power Station.

Plans have now moved up a gear including the appointment of a project consultant and an economic feasibility study which is expected in draft 1 by the end of June. The study will investigate the economic case and the rail case, establishing the facts of the great benefit to the region and the private sector development opportunity.

Businesses pledging money to the project include Just Taps, Coach House, First Tunnels, Cardboard Box Company, Emerson & Renwick, Globe Enterprises, Hyndburn Borough Council, Northwest Logistics, Sundown Solutions, Witch Group, Scott Dawson Advertising, Langtec, HML Recycling and Fagan & Whalley.

The project, which could create 2,825 jobs in the local area, has also received support from MP for Hyndburn and Haslingden, Sara Britcliffe, Chief Executive of East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Miranda Barker and Chair of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership (LEP), Debbie Francis OBE.

#Amazing Accrington, a collaboration of businesses, public sector and 3rd sector organisations from within Accrington and the surrounding towns within the borough of Hyndburn, are committed to bringing positive changes to the area and the development provides a very real opportunity to do so, tying into levelling up plans, giving an economic boost to the region, as well as creating cost, resource and carbon savings for businesses.

The historic Huncoat site has disused freight rail sidings, with the surrounding land already designated for future rail freight development. It is ideally located in the centre of East Lancashire’s industry, engineering and aerospace, in between the existing rail and road network. The site covers 22 acres, with an estimated £200 million to develop, which would involve private sector investment.

Debbie Francis OBE, commented: “This is a business project which I have been staying very close to, providing advice from the rail sector and the feasibility study will provide an extremely interesting read.

“I am keen to build and improve corridors of transport in the north, and the LEP fully supports this project and its exciting plans.”

Miranda Barker, said: “Regionally this is an unbelievable opportunity for everyone, especially our local businesses and we are doing everything we can to help push on these plans, which will have a hugely significant impact on the North West for decades to come.

“It gives our businesses the opportunity to move their goods in a more cost effective, competitive and less environmentally damaging way, but also be part of the supply chain to build the infrastructure, and that is unlocking the potential of East Lancashire and its industry, not just for the North West, but for the UK as a whole.”

Sara Britcliffe MP, added: “The employment opportunities which would come from this project would be unbelievable for our borough and it could transform so many people’s lives, from businesses to our children.”

Murray Dawson, Chair of Amazing Accrington and MD of Scott Dawson Advertising, commented: “Freight rail is estimated to treble by 2050 and with our amazing businesses needing room and the opportunity to grow, we need to facilitate that. We can’t thank everyone enough who has pledged financial support for the feasibility study.

“It’s also extremely important to remember that it’s not just core businesses who use freight who would be affected – all businesses benefit from the future economic success of our region.”

You can learn more about the project and its plans here: 

SUNDOWN SOLUTIONS AND SCOTT DAWSON ADVERTISING TEAM UP FOR CAREERS TALK AT STONYHURST ST MARY’S HALL

Hyndburn-based tech company, Sundown Solutions, and Burnley-based advertising and marketing agency, Scott Dawson Advertising, recently presented to over 240 children, aged from 4 to 13 years, at Stonyhurst St Mary’s Hall in Clitheroe about the opportunities available to them in the marketing and cyber industries.

The career’s talk, which took place on Monday 16th May at one of the UK’s leading co-educational Catholic boarding and day schools, included discussions on the origins of the internet and how to get into the cyber industry, as well as the important role that marketing will play.

Both Sundown Solutions and Scott Dawson Advertising were invited to the school after a member of staff at Stonyhurst, Louise Chambers, came across a Facebook video of Sundown Solutions and fellow Hyndburn business, What More UK, attending All Saints’ CE Primary located in Clayton le Moors, organised by Scott Dawson Advertising and #AmazingAccrington.

Set in a magnificent Grade I listed building with a 1,000 acre estate right in the heart of Lancashire’s Ribble Valley, Sundown CEO Heath Groves and Scott Dawson MD Murray Dawson, fielded some fantastic questions from the onlooking pupils including what qualifications they would require to work in cyber or marketing.

Mr Groves said: “It’s not just about the children getting the qualifications that they need, but it’s about businesses like us coming into these schools and telling the children who we are, what we do and that we are available.

“The response from these children has been amazing. They asked some extremely intellectual and insightful questions and the future of cyber and marketing looks very bright in Lancashire.”

Mr Dawson commented: “It has been a real honour to be invited into such a wonderful establishment to raise awareness of what we do and the opportunities which will be available to our young people when they leave school including roles in videography and social media.

“The engagement from the children was outstanding, with a good response to the interactive questions and challenges from all age groups.”

Michael Gibson, Deputy Headmaster at Stonyhurst St Mary’s Hall, added: “We would like to say a massive thank you to Murray and to Heath for coming in and speaking to the school all about the world of marketing and tech.

“It was a really interesting assembly and we can’t thank Sundown Solutions and Scott Dawson Advertising enough for coming in.”

Sundown Solutions have been based in Hyndburn since 2003 and provide IT consultancy and management solutions around the world. You can learn more about them and what they do here: https://www.sundownsolutions.com/

Scott Dawson Advertising is a full service marketing and advertising agency based in Burnley, offering a wide range of services including social media, PR, creative design, artwork, direct mail, exhibitions and conferences, copywriting, photography, videography and much more. Head to their website to learn more: https://www.scottdawson.co.uk/

Stanley’s big shirt giveaway a huge success for fifth year running

Accrington Stanley’s first team squad handed out shirts as part of their shirt giveaway to Year 3 children from Hyndburn schools at the Wham Stadium on Tuesday morning.

The annual big shirt giveaway also saw the children receive a goodie bag sponsored by Studio and North Lancs Training Group (NLTG), including a free match ticket, crayons, a lunch box and picture of the first-team squad.

Taking place for the fifth year running and back at the Wham following slightly altered plans for the 2020 event due to COVID-19, the youngsters got the chance to meet their favourite players and see the pitch up close, having their pictures taken in the Studio Family Stand.

The shirts were generously sponsored by Studio and the Official Accrington Stanley Community Trust.

Manager, John Coleman, said: “It’s always a day in the calendar that we look forward to and so do the players.

“It’s a fantastic initiative and something that has been going for five years. If we can capture the children’s imagination and get them involved in Stanley, it bodes well for the future.”

Coleman added: “The idea of giving the children a replica shirt is fantastic and it gives them an identity. For a lot of people it’s difficult to justify being able to get their child a replica top and I think this is a great gesture by Andy Holt. I hope it captures the imagination of these kids and in 10-15 years’ time they’ll be here cheering us on or even playing for us.”

Chairman and owner, Andy Holt, said: “It’s an event that I’m particularly proud of. It’s probably the best thing we do as a Club and I promise to do it every year I’m involved with the Club, it’s fantastic.”

Stanley’s most famous fan David Lloyd, otherwise known as Bumble, said: “It’s a marvellous time of the year and there’s one thing that I’m really looking forward to… and that is one day boys and girls will have that football shirt on and they’ll be representing Accrington Stanley at the Wham.”

Paul Kendrick, CEO of Studio, said: “It’s a fantastic way to get new followers into the Club from the outset, get them passionate about Accrington and we’re really happy to get involved in it.”

The Club would like to thank all the sponsors who helped make this amazing event a huge success – The Official Accrington Stanley Community Trust, Studio, North Lancs Training Group and What More UK.

Also, the Club would like to thank Scott Dawson Advertising for organising the event and preparing the goodie bags, alongside volunteers from the Official Accrington Stanley Supporters Trust.