News: Canford Group completes acquisition of Lemonaid

Rotherham-based Lemonaid Motor Legal, a provider of fast and effective claims solutions for insurance brokers, has been acquired by Canford Group, a leading independent provider of first notification of loss (FNOL) and motor claims management services.

The acquisition extends Canford Group’s diversified, tech-enabled specialist legal services platform across the full lifecycle of the motor claim, from first notification through to litigation, giving the Group visibility and control over claim quality from the outset. Lemonaid joins Canford Law, Canford Law Scotland and PDC Group as the Group’s fourth vertical.

Based in Templeborough, Lemonaid provides white-label FNOL and claims management services to motor insurance brokers, triaging claims and placing them with a panel of specialist service providers across credit hire, repairs, recovery and storage, salvage and personal injury.

The senior leadership team, led by Managing Director Luke Baker, will remain in place and retain a significant equity stake, ensuring continuity as Lemonaid continues to operate under its own brand, building on the strong reputation it has established with its broker clients.

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David Nash, Group CEO of Canford Group, said: “The completion of this acquisition marks the second acquisition into the Canford Group. There has been real excitement about welcoming Luke and his team to the Group, and working with Luke ahead of completion has been incredibly enjoyable. It is evident that our businesses share the same direction and I am excited by the opportunities this new relationship will create for clients and colleagues across the Group.”

Luke Baker, Managing Director of Lemonaid, added: “I’m incredibly excited that Lemonaid is entering a new chapter, becoming part of Canford Group. Reaching this point shows what can be achieved when you bring together great people, brilliant partners across our customers and suppliers, and the huge amount of ambition that has always been at the heart of Lemonaid. This feel like a natural fit as we become part of the Group and continue to invest in our people, our capabilities, and the first class service Lemonaid continues to deliver.”

"Canford Group’s expertise will allow us to stay closer to the complete client journey, from the initial accident through to representation and the recovery of our clients’ losses. That’s a huge step forward for Lemonaid and our team, but most importantly for our clients and partners."

The acquisition is Canford’s second bolt-on since Queen Park Equity’s investment in December 2025.

Lemonaid website

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News: Rotherham-based firm leading the "weigh" since 1926

Rotherham-based medical device market leader, Marsden Group, is celebrating its centenary year and is continuing to push new industry boundaries.

With its headquarters at Templeborough, Marsden Group already offers a range of proven medical devices to help healthcare professionals deliver high quality assessment in hospitals, care homes and community settings. The company is perhaps best known for its pioneering work within weighing devices, used as an essential monitoring and diagnostic tool.

The company was established in Sheffield and opened the doors to its very first shop on the Harrow Road in London in 1926. It has grown to become the UK’s leading manufacturer of medical weighing devices and has been responsible for delivering services to the NHS for more than 50 years. In 2001 the company opened a dedicated manufacturing facility in Rotherham.

Along with 200+ contracts with NHS Trusts, Marsden now supports customers across more than 50 countries and in the widest range of sectors, including medical, industrial and commercial, veterinary and gym and health.

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Innovation has been a strong suit for Marsden with the Patient Transfer Scale instrumental in a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation in 2021 and new products such as the body composition scales - a weighing scale that provides a calculation of body health based on a number of metrics. The scale will provide a weight reading and usually a BMI measure.

Lewis Davis, General Manager at Marsden Group, said: “Reaching our centenary is an incredible milestone and testament to the generations of people who have helped shape the business over the last 100 years. What began as a small shop in London has grown into an industry-leading company renowned for providing our customers with reliable, accurate weighing solutions they can depend on.

“The world has changed enormously over the past century, and our ability to adapt, innovate and listen to the needs of the industries we serve has been central to our success. As we celebrate this milestone, we’re also looking ahead. Our ambition is to continue building on the foundations laid over the last century by investing in new technologies, expanding our product range and ensuring Marsden remains a trusted sector-wide partner for precision weighing for many years to come.”

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News: Dutch idea falls flat as Rotherham Council scraps another cycle scheme

A multimillion pound scheme to support active travel for pedestrians and cyclists and improve traffic flows at a busy Rotherham roundabout has been scrapped by the local council.

Rothbiz reported in 2024 that Rotherham Council was working up an improvement scheme at Ickles roundabout at Templeborough.

£7.5m was identified through the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), a government funding stream administered by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA).

£1.05m of development funding was released and Rotherham Council began a tender proccess for a specialist transport consultant to determine whether a Dutch style signalised crossroads with at-grade pedestrian and cycle crossings could be accommodated at the Ickles roundabout with an acceptable impact on traffic.

Dutch-style junctions, or protected junctions, separate people travelling on foot, by cycle, and in vehicles. This approach reduces the likelihood of conflicts and simplifies the operation of the junction into fewer stages, resulting in a more efficient traffic flow.

The roundabout, which currently utilises underpasses for pedestrians and cyclists, is on the route of the Sheffield Road Cycleways project which has delivered over 2km of new cycle routes on the A6178 Sheffield Road and Westgate between the town centre and the borough boundary at Tinsley. The route provides a near seamless connection for cycling from beyond Meadowhall through to the Broom area.

Now an update to the council's cabinet confirms that a Dutch style scheme is not going ahead.

The cabinet paper states: "There is no beneficial scheme at Ickles Roundabout at this time on which the development funding could be usefully spent."

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The authority wants to reallocate a proportion of the funding "as this is no longer required to develop this project on account of its reduced scope."

The council's cabinet is being asked to approve a reallocation of £490,000 to the Rotherham Gateway Station project.

Rothbiz revealed last year that discussions were taking place over the pause of a number of proposed transport schemes in Rotherham in order to redeploy funding to the Mainline Station scheme,

The paper adds: "The Station at Rotherham Gateway is now a key priority for the Council. The mainline and tram-train station will be a catalyst for growth, improving local, regional, and national rail connectivity for all communities and businesses across the Borough, creating employment, and supporting the development of high-quality new homes. Therefore, it is recommended that the funding is transferred to support this scheme."

The move follows on from proposals being scrapped for a £10.7m cycle lane and roundabout scheme for Stag Roundabout and Wickersley / Broom Road.

This issue of cycle lanes was discussed at a full council meeting this week with a petition presented by opposition councillors, and backed by 3,600 signatures, called for a review of CRSTS Active Travel schemes, a reallocation of funding to focus on road safety, and a review of the council's Active Travel Strategy.

The vote was carried and the ruling Labour councillors agreed to accept the calls from the petition and talked of greater flexibilities now afforded the CRSTS.

The CRSTS programme requires that all current schemes be in contract before the end of this financial year, with SYMCA recently identifying a risk that schemes that are currently in development will not meet this timeline. Programme spend to date is £254m and SYMCA say that "available mitigations mean that the programme is forecast to be fully committed." The final year of CRSTS is set to be included in SYMCA's new £1.3 billion Integrated Settlement.

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News: Pre-pack deal for specialist Rotherham recruitment firm

A pre-pack deal has been secured for Rotherham-based specialist engineering and manufacturing recruitment business after it entered administration.

Metalis Engineering Recruitment Limited was established in 2019 and provided specialist recruitment services to the engineering and manufacturing sectors, supporting businesses across Yorkshire, the North of England and the Midlands with permanent and temporary recruitment solutions.

The Templeborough company faced increasingly challenging trading conditions, with a slowdown in recruitment activity and continued pressure on margins contributing to significant cash-flow difficulties. Despite steps taken by management to reduce costs and restructure the business, its financial position ultimately became unsustainable, and advice was sought from CY Group.

Steve Currie and Sophie Murcott of business advisory firm CY Group were appointed Joint Administrators of the Rotherham-based company on August 3 2026.

A report from the administrators states that the company's difficulties began in late 2024 with the deterioration in market conditions. It pointed to wider economic pressure, the adoption of inhouse hiring tools by clients and increased competition from smaller agencies and independent recruiters. Late payments from a key client and a dispute with software providers were also cited.

Following COVID, demand recovered strongly and the business grew steadily for around four years. At its peak the Company employed 28 staff across two offices.

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The Joint Administrators completed a pre-packaged sale of the business and certain assets to Metalis Recruitment Group Limited, a connected company, for an undisclosed sum.

The transaction secures the future of the business and safeguards all six jobs, enabling Metalis to continue trading and supporting its customers. The sale also represents a positive outcome for creditors, with the secured creditor currently expected to be repaid in full.

Steven Currie, Joint Administrator and Managing Director of CY Group, said: “Metalis had established a strong position within a specialist recruitment market, but challenging trading conditions and increasing pressure on cash flow had created significant difficulties for the business.

“Our priority was to preserve the underlying business, protect employment and achieve the best possible outcome for creditors.

“We are pleased to have completed a sale that safeguards all six jobs, enables the business to continue supporting its customers and is expected to result in the secured creditor being repaid in full.

“This is a positive outcome in what had become a very challenging set of circumstances and demonstrates the importance of seeking professional advice at an early stage, when there may still be options available to preserve value and protect jobs.”

The business will continue to trade under Metalis Recruitment Group Limited following completion of the sale.

Metalis website

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News: AES Engineering global expansion continues

Rotherham-based AES Engineering Ltd has further increased its reliability services and product offering in the Middle East by acquiring a controlling stake in the reliability companies Technomax Middle East Engineering LLC and Technomax Industrial Services LLC for an undisclosed sum.

With global headquarters at Templeborough, AESSEAL manufactures seals to stop leakage of harmful liquids and gases into the environment for a wide range of industries, including oil and gas, food, water, mining and pharmaceuticals.

Both Technomax companies will fall under the operating structure of the recently formed ADGM UAE company, AVT Reliability Middle East and North Africa.

This latest expansion in the global market follows acquisitions in the Netherlands, Canada, Australia and USA.

Technomax, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, UAE, is specialised in all industrial segments and focuses primarily on the oil and gas, power generation, municipal water and desalination sectors.

They are a recognised leader in reliability and vibration monitoring services, executing prevention and problem solving with machinery, foundations and structures. Technomax also provide crane monitoring/service as part of their portfolio.

Technomax operates many long-term reliability contracts, with prestigious end users in the Middle East onshore and offshore industrial sectors, assisting them with plant wide reliability improvement and optimisation on thousands of rotating machinery assets and equipment on a daily basis.

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The acquisition will allow the existing customers of Technomax to benefit from a wider product and service offering from the AES Reliability Group of companies.

In particular, by joining the AES Engineering Group, Technomax customers gain access to world-class reliability products such as Machine Sentry, the cloud-based condition monitoring system, and EasyBrace, the universal bracing system designed for the reduction of structural vibration in small bore pipes.

Founder and managing director Shebeaun Mohammed Sherief said: "When considering the next chapter for Technomax, it was important for me to find a partner who shared our values, our commitment to customers and our long-term vision. Choosing AES Engineering Ltd was therefore a natural decision. This partnership enables us to better support our customers by combining our local experience with the global expertise, talented people, innovative products and engineering solutions of the AVT and AES Group, while positioning the business for continued growth across both our existing and new markets."

AES Engineering Ltd group managing director Chris Rea said: "The acquisition of Technomax supports our strategic decision to globalise our reliability focused businesses and further strengthens our customer reliability offering in the important Middle East market."

AESSEAL website

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News: AESSEAL extend Rotherham United stadium naming rights deal

Rotherham manufacturer, AESSEAL, has extended its partnership agreement for the stadium naming rights at Rotherham United.

With global headquarters at Templeborough, AESSEAL manufactures seals to stop leakage of harmful liquids and gases into the environment for a wide range of industries, including oil and gas, food, water, mining and pharmaceuticals.

The £20m home of Rotherham United was first called The AESSEAL New York Stadium in 2014. The substantial deal worth six figures was signed two years after the stadium opened on the edge of Rotherham town centre.

With one year remaining on the previous five-year agreement, the AESSEAL New York Stadium name will continue until the end of the 2029/30 season.

Chris Rea, managing director at AESSEAL, said: “We are delighted to extend our long-standing association with Rotherham United Football Club and the AESSEAL New York Stadium.

"Over more than a decade, we have built a strong relationship with the club, which in turn benefits the wider Rotherham community.

“The stadium is home to a range of businesses and supports many more across the town, with local trade driven both directly through the club and on matchdays. Some of those may well not be here but for the existence of the club, which has played a vital part in the fabric of Rotherham life since its formation in 1925.

“We were proud to become the club’s first stadium sponsor in 2014, and we remain equally proud to continue that commitment through to the end of the 2029/30 season.”

AESSEAL recognises that Rotherham United could receive a more financially attractive offer from another company and, if that occurs, has told the club it would be willing to step aside.

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Steve Coakley, Commercial Director at Rotherham United, said: "We remain massively thankful to Chris Rea, and all colleagues across the AESSEAL Group, for the incredible support and belief afforded to us and the wider Rotherham community.

“We enjoy such a strong relationship, full of admiration and pride, as to what has been achieved both at AESSEAL and for the strength of shared values that have developed for well over a decade.

“The extended stadium naming agreement comes in addition to AESSEAL’s recent commitment to remain a Diamond Partner for the 2026/2027 season, the fourth consecutive year - a collaboration between five local businesses that enables the Rotherham Hospice name and logo to appear in pride of place on the front of shirt position.

“AESSEAL is such a unique success story, having started right here in Rotherham on Mangham Road back in 1979 with just five members of staff.

“Their incredible growth since then now sees them employ over 2,000 people within 108 locations, covering Europe, North and South America, Africa, Asia and with bases on all four sides of Australia, serving more than 100 countries.

“It is now one of the world’s leading specialists in the design and manufacture of mechanical seals and support systems and has experienced an incredible 47 years of continuous growth.

“AESSEAL’s reputation in business has been hard-earned and is one that speaks for itself, but it has been really pleasing to see that now translate into the footballing world, in which people immediately associate their name with our first team home.”

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AESSEAL website

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News: Work begins on new units at Rotherham business zone

Work is underway to develop a new business zone alongside a food and drink offer at a key development site in Rotherham.

Steelos Business Park at Templeborough will be delivered by HBC Construction Limited, in partnership with Magna Science Adventure Centre.

The £8.4m development has been funded by a Government grant – originally Towns Fund – secured by Rotherham Council.

Plans were approved in 2023 for the land between Magna and Sheffield Road confirming the demolition of the former "Cent" Building and the construction of six new employment units along with two food and beverage units.

Landscaped public spaces, improved pedestrian access and parking provision will establish an attractive and accessible environment for businesses, visitors and the wider community.

The development benefits from South Yorkshire Investment Zone designation and will also benefit from enhanced regional connectivity, directly linking to the new Magna tram-train station, which opened in April, and further strengthen links between Templeborough, Rotherham and Sheffield.

Cllr. Chris Read, Leader of Rotherham Council, said: “Templeborough is a key part of Rotherham’s industrial story, and is of course already home to numerous small business sites. Today it lies at the heart of the Don Valley Corridor, our new Mayoral Development Zone, as a shared local priority for future growth.

“So it’s great to be on site with Magna as work commences on this next phase of business space. It’s a great opportunity to strengthen our local economy, now of course with direct links to the tram-train network and, in the future, Gateway Station.

“Working with Magna and HBC Construction Limited, we’re delivering on our commitment to making sure our places are thriving.”

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Lee Powell, Managing Director, HBC, added: “We’re proud to be delivering this key business project in Templeborough, an iconic industrial area in the region and one with incredible potential.

“The project allows us to build on our relationship with Rotherham Council, while we continue work on the Rotherham Markets redevelopment, and deliver a high-quality and collaborative public/private scheme alongside Magna.”

Richard Hammill, Chief Executive of Magna, said: "It’s fantastic to see work now underway on this exciting development. This investment will help transform the area, creating new opportunities for businesses while enhancing the experience for everyone who visits Magna." "We’re especially pleased that the name ‘Steelos’ has been retained. It reflects the proud industrial heritage of Templeborough and keeps alive an important part of the history of Magna, the former steelworks site, and the wider community.

"As the project progresses, we look forward to seeing this become a thriving business area that celebrates our past while supporting future growth."

A funding gap for the project was identified in 2024 and a £1.78m grant from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) gainshare pot was added to around £6.5m in governmnet funding from the Town Deal secured in 2021.

It was envisaged that the charity operating Magna would receive compensation, and retain ownership of the completed development.

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News: AESSEAL's thirteen consecutive golds in health and safety excellence

Rotherham-based AESSEAL Plc’s ongoing commitment to health and safety has been endorsed with a 13th consecutive gold accolade in the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents’ 70th anniversary awards.

AESSEAL is one of the world's leading specialists in the design and manufacture of mechanical seals, bearing protectors, seal support systems and gland packing. With its global headquarters at Templeborough, the award-winning company manufactures mechanical seals for a wide range of industries, including oil and gas, food, water, mining and pharmaceuticals.

The RoSPA President’s Gold Award has been granted to AESSEAL in recognition of its exceptional health and safety performance during 2025.

AESSEAL managing director Chris Rea said: "Thirteen consecutive golds are testament to the company’s commitment to keeping its employees safe. This is a landmark year for RoSPA and we are proud to be part of a legacy built on dedication to high safety standards, the well‑being of individuals and a shared commitment to excellence. We committed to making accident prevention a central pillar of our organisation and I am delighted that this has again been recognised with a RoSPA Gold Award.

"The awards began as a small event to recognise the achievements of companies prioritising the safety of workers in the UK, and has now grown into the biggest health and safety awards programme in the world, with 2,000 different entries from almost 60 countries, impacting more than seven million employees."

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RoSPA growth director Julia Small, added: "The high standards AESSEAL has achieved are the result of hard work and dedication, of which AESSEAL should be rightfully proud and which RoSPA is delighted to honour. 2026 is a landmark year for the RoSPA Awards as we reflect on how far workplace safety has come in 70 years. It is because of the commitment of health and safety leaders like AESSEAL that people today are safer at work than in the past, and sets an inspiring example for the future.

"The RoSPA Awards are sponsored by the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH), which provides internationally-recognised health, safety and environmental qualifications that raise the competence of safety and environmental professionals as well as individuals at all levels in the workplace."

NEBOSH chief quality officer and awards head judge Dee Arp said: "These awards are a powerful reminder that protecting people transcends borders, and that supporting employees to return home safe, healthy and happy each day is fundamental to long-term success and resilience.

"AESSEAL's proactive approach to identifying and mitigating risks, implementing robust safety protocols, and fostering a safety-first mindset among its workforce was instrumental in achieving this award, said RoSPA."

The award will be presented at a ceremony held in London in June.

AESSEAL website

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News: Sheffield and Rotherham Councils set to commit £800,000 to Don Valley Corridor

Sheffield and Rotherham Councils are both committing £400,000 each towards the development of a flagship place-based regeneration programme for South Yorkshire based around the Don Valley Corridor.

Rothbiz reported first last month that the region's first Mayoral Development Zone (MDZ) is proposed for a unified corridor for innovation, industry and neighbourhood renewal stretching from Sheffield city centre to the site of the proposed Rotherham Gateway Station.

Bringing together the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) with Rotherham Council and Sheffield Council "creates a single front door for Government, agencies and private markets."

Cabinet approval has been secured in Rotherham for the council to commit £400,000 of its Gainshare revenue allocation for the scheme and Sheffield Council is expected to match Rotherham's £400,000.

Gainshare funding refers to the money committed to South Yorkshire through the Devolution Deal agreed by the MCA, South Yorkshire local authorities and government.

The money will go "toward programme resourcing and feasibility work for priority projects for the first three years of the programme."

Linked to the South Yorkshire Investment Zone, the programme will address transport issues (including the proposed new mainline and tram train stop at Parkgate), flood resilience and brownfield land which has been held back by contamination, low land values and viability constraints.

Investment Zone status provides South Yorkshire with up to £160m over ten years which can be used to offer investors, developers and start-ups a combination of targeted support and financial interventions to start, scale up and relocate their businesses.

Rotherham Council has already begun recruiting for a Don Valley Corridor Service Manager, who is expected to head up a new team delivering both the Don Valley Corridor partnership and Rotherham Gateway.

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Rothbiz has previously set out the Rotherham schemes that will fall under the Don Valley Corridor, including the new mainline station, further industrial space at Templeborough and new housing at Bassingthorpe and in the town centre.

Headline figures are that, through coordinated development, the 30 year transformation will enable over 18,000 jobs and 10,500 new homes with a £1.3bn uplift in GVA.

SYMCA papers set out that the authorities will use its existing statutory powers, "in particular, its strategic economic development powers and regeneration powers, its own resources and relationships with government, infrastructure providers and the private sector, as part of an integrated place-based programme. This will provide confidence both to the market, government and the wider public sector."

The paper adds that "there is shared commitment between SYMCA, RMBC and SCC to resource the programme collectively as a shared endeavour, including programme development capacity."

A Rotherham Council paper calls it "a nationally significant regeneration programme with a dedicated governance structure, programme leadership, and a coordinated approach to funding, delivery, and investment. Without coordination, opportunities scatter across isolated projects. With it, investors see credibility, residents see genuine opportunity, and places see sustained improvement rather than episodic development."

External funding is set to come from gainshare and other devolved funding pots, including funds that support renewal, housing and infrastructure. Nationally, the programme will be positioned to engage with institutions such as Homes England and the National Wealth Fund.

The Government has already committed to providing the South Yorkshire Mayor with access to "£85m new money to support jobs and development, including in the Don Valley Corridor and Sheffield Innovation spine."

The Government's recently announced £2.3bn City Investment Fund will bring together different types of finance, deployed flexibly to accelerate projects, expand city-centre housing and office markets, and support major regeneration schemes across the North. It is expected to be used in "developing projects in the Don Valley Corridor, Sheffield city centre Innovation Spine, and Rotherham Town Centre."

A Rotherham Council paper adds: "SYMCA are currently identifying potential funding partners and exploring potential co-investment models. This approach is intended to raise the profile of Don Valley Corridor onto a national stage to leverage both public and private funding, maximising the impact and reach of the regional investment through Gainshare funding."

Don Valley Corridor website

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News: Rotherham office building turned down for church use goes up for auction

An office building in Rotherham where plans to convert it into a place of worship were refused by the local council, is set to be sold at an upcoming auction.

Reresby House, a 24,000 sq ft two-storey office building in Templeborough has been given a £595,000 guide price by BTG Eddisons Property Auction.

Rothbiz reported in January that Rotherham Council ruled that plans from Hope Church were "incompatible" with surrounding industrial uses.

Home to tenants including safety equipment supplier S3 ID, approximately half of Reresby House is currently let, generating a rental income of £60,000 per year.

The property, which also has a 70-space car park, will feature in the upcoming multi-lot timed auction, with bidding opening on April 28 and closing the following day.

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James Vandenbrook, associate director at BTG Eddisons Property Auctions, said: “Reresby House is a great investment opportunity in one of Rotherham’s most up and coming commercial areas.

“Just this month the £10m nearby Magna tram-train station has opened, improving transportation in this busy employment area, with the proposed Gateway station due to be developed in the next few years too. That will connect Templeborough to the mainline rail services, proving a major boost to the Don Valley corridor between Rotherham and Sheffield.

“Meanwhile, you also have the Templeborough Business Zone in the pipeline, which will bring over £8m of new investment to the area in the form of workspace units for small businesses. This is certainly a great time to acquire business space in Templeborough and, not surprisingly, we are seeing good levels of interest in this property.”

Hope Church had planned to buy the building, if it could secure planning permission.

The church's plans showed how Reresby House, previously home to business support agencies including RiDO and Business Link, could accommodate a main audatorium and workshop space on the ground floor with further workshop and office space on the first floor to support the church's religious and community services.

Refusing the change of use, planning officers at Rotherham Council said they had "substantial concerns that the proposed use would see the loss of a commercial unit on a strategically placed industrial estate, of which part of the building is still occupied.

"Any alternative use would result in the loss of an important asset within a well-established and sought after employment estate."

Also heading to the same auction is a vacant unit on the historic High Street in Rotherham town centre. 23 High Street is a three storey building of 3,032 sq ft latterly used as a restaurant. Giving it a guide price of £105,000+, auctioneers say that the upper floors provide "excellant opportunity for conversion / development potential."

1a Wellgate, another empty town centre property, is also set to go under the hammer. With 1,200 sq ft over ground and first floor, the lot has a guide price of £87,000+.

BTG Eddisons Property Auctions website

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News: AESSEAL helps youngsters Get Up to Speed with the rise of the robots

Rotherham manufacturing firm, AESSEAL furthered its commitment to develop the engineers and industry leaders of the future as Gold Sponsor of Get Up to Speed with STEM (GUTS) for the ninth consecutive year.

More than 7,000 students from across the region attended the two-day event last month – the largest of its type in the region – at Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham.

Organised by The Work-wise Foundation, Get Up to Speed provides a platform for young people to connect with businesses, explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers, engage with industry professionals, and interact with some of the UK's most exciting innovations.

This year’s theme was Stronger Together: The Power of Collaboration – People, Robots & Productivity.

The event had its first day designed for secondary school aged people and above, with primary school pupils aged eight and over and children with special education needs and disabilities (SEND) touring the exhibition and attractions on the second day.

AESSEAL is one of the world's leading specialists in the design and manufacture of mechanical seals, bearing protectors, seal support systems and gland packing. With its global headquarters at Templeborough, the award-winning company manufactures mechanical seals for a wide range of industries, including oil and gas, food, water, mining and pharmaceuticals.

AESSEAL head of UK learning and development Darren Jones said: "We have around 26 different apprenticeships available at any one time. This is about giving young people the opportunity to look at these roles and see if they are a good fit. Employment should be for everybody and we want to tap into the local talent pool and give everybody the chance to have a successful career."

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As well as continuing to invest in talent, AESSEAL has invested in a multimillion pound Factory for the Future - a state-of-the-art, 60,000 sq ft extension that has almost doubled the site capacity. The expansion was coupled with new robots to help the company to increase productivity by automating mundane processes and free up people for highly skilled work.

Much of the talk at Get Up to Speed was about robots and AI.

AESSEAL IT machine learning developer Elliot Fisher told attendees how AI can save time and increase production through working with humans. He said: "At AESSEAL when we talk about AI we talk about it as if it is just another member of the team. We want to give it a clear role with clear borders and transparency with human oversight. It will only do the job we have told it to do and know when to hand control back. AI will do the heavy lifting, and I think that’s what ‘stronger together’ means. It isn’t going to be humans or AI. It is going to be humans and AI.

AESSEAL CAM mechatronics engineer Lewis Hardy said that there was a huge skills crisis in engineering, but AESSEAL had invested £4.3m in robotic cells, and added: “As people we are very good at making decisions and carrying out manual tasks, and a robot is only as good at making decisions as the engineer who programmed it. We are at the very early stages of adapting automation into manufacturing.”

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News: Leading engineering group eyes 90,000 sq ft Rotherham building

A Sheffield-based specialist engineering business that delivers world-beating iconic projects looks to be taking on large premises in Rotherham, planning documents show.

Previously known as SCX Special Projects, the Kinetic Solutions Group (KSG) provides bespoke engineered solutions to complex mechanical handling and lifting challenges for customers in the nuclear, defence, aviation and moving architecture sectors.

With its current headquarters close to Meadowhall in Sheffield, planning applications have now been submitted relating to a soon-to-be vacant industrial building in Templeborough, Rotherham.

The applications are for new signage and the installation of new windows at Vector House on Centurion Business Park.

The site was previously home to Newburgh Engineering before it was acquired out of administration in 2019 by Vector X-Cel Ltd. It is part of the X-Cel Group which has been expanding on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham since 2012 and recently secured a £35m funding package from HSBC UK for a manager buyout (MBO).

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The plans state "The site is currently occupied by an engineering company who are relocating to a new facility. The property is to have new owners and the new company (KSG - Kinetic Solutions Group) need to display their own company branding."

In 2021 X-Cel acquired the 90,000 sq ft premises in a £7m deal.

With a market-leading position in the UK, KSG has worked on a number of high profile projects. It designed and built the retractable roofs for Wimbledon’s Centre Court and No. 1 Court. For the Tottenham Hotspur stadium in London, it designed and installed the world’s first dividing retractable football pitch.

The group also builds and supports complex mechanical handling solutions for the UK nuclear decommissioning program while, in the aviation sector, it has solved challenges in the lifting and movement of complex engine and airframe structures for Rolls Royce, BAE and Bombardier.

Elysian Capital, a private equity firm based in London, acquired the company through an MBO in 2020 before Denley Hydraulics was added to the group the next year.

The group now operates through four separate business divisions; SCX - Mass Handling Systems, ARX - Kinetic Architecture, ISX Service and Maintenance and DHX Hydraulic systems. Each is distinct in their product/service offering and has their own teams and management structure. This devolved focus allows for targeted growth and profitability strategies within each division.

For the year ending March 2025, the group had a turnover of £35.5m, up from £28.9m in 2024, and EBITDA (earnings before tax) of £4.4m, up from £3.2m in the previous year.

KSG website

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News: Don Valley Corridor - What's in it for Rotherham?

Partners have formally launched a flagship place-based regeneration programme for South Yorkshire based around the Don Valley Corridor.

Rothbiz reported first last week that the region's first Mayoral Development Zone (MDZ) is proposed for a unified corridor for innovation, industry and neighbourhood renewal stretching from Sheffield city centre to the site of the proposed Rotherham Gateway Station.

Bringing together the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) with Rotherham Council and Sheffield Council "creates a single front door for Government, agencies and private markets."

Proponents say that: "By unlocking brownfield sites and investing in transport, energy and flood resilience infrastructure, the Don Valley Corridor will drive inclusive, sustainable, long-term regional growth."

Headline figures are that, through coordinated development, the 30 year transformation will enable over 18,000 jobs and 10,500 new homes with a £1.3bn uplift in GVA.

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The Don Valley Corridor will evolve into a connected innovation and industry corridor.

In Rotherham, the main area for development is the Rotherham Gateway Innovation Campus: A new rail-linked innovation hub around the future mainline station, supporting engineering, low carbon, materials and digital sectors.

At Templeborough the remaining land for development will see the area reshaped into a modern green energy hub and employment zone.

With the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham due to complete next year, the focus will be on expanding the ethos of the park over the border into Sheffield and enabling 2,000 jobs and 1.5m sq ft of new R&D space at Runway Park.

The programme will address transport issues (including the proposed new mainline and tram train stop at Parkgate), flood resilience and brownfield land which has been held back by contamination, low land values and viability constraints.

The corridor has capacity for 10,500 new homes with specific delivery targets being a new garden community at Bassingthorpe in Rotherham, with green spaces, new schools, health facilities and strong active-travel and rail links to Rotherham town centre, another target area where new housing can be enabled by infrastructure investment and long-term delivery partnerships focused on town centre renewal.

Added to the regeneration projects is a pledge to ensure that the economic growth is inclusive, ensuring local people shape development and have access to opportunities.

Cllr. Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council, said: “For Rotherham, this really is about forging ahead with the next chapter of our borough’s growth, building on the lessons of the AMP as we build on the strengths of our heritage and the opportunities of new industries, infrastructure and investment. You only have to look at our plans for Rotherham Gateway to see the scale of that ambition - a new mainline station, new employment space, and the chance to bring thousands of good‑quality jobs right onto our doorstep.

“And of course, you can already see the impact of this investment at Waverley and the Advanced Manufacturing Park. What was once industrial land is now home to world‑leading employers, cutting‑edge research, and thousands of new homes - a real example of how these projects can transform a community and create the skilled jobs of the future.

“By expanding the available business and employment space, including through the proposed Templeborough Business Zone, improving the quality of life through, for example, the work already happening in the town centre, exploiting the great transport links already in place, you can see how the corridor through to associated projects in Sheffield fits together; generating wealth well into the twenty first century, just as it did in the past. We’re investing in Rotherham’s future in a way that people will really feel - more homes, better connections, and more chances for local people to build the careers they want.”

External funding is set to come from gainshare and other devolved funding pots, including funds that support renewal, housing and infrastructure. Nationally, the programme will be positioned to engage with institutions such as Homes England and the National Wealth Fund.

The Government recently committed to providing the South Yorkshire Mayor with access to "£85m new money to support jobs and development, including in the Don Valley Corridor and Sheffield Innovation spine."

The Government's recently announced £2.3bn City Investment Fund will bring together different types of finance, deployed flexibly to accelerate projects, expand city-centre housing and office markets, and support major regeneration schemes across the North. It is expected to be used in "developing projects in the Don Valley Corridor, Sheffield city centre Innovation Spine, and Rotherham Town Centre."

Don Valley Corridor website

Images: RMBC / AHR

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News: Magna tram train stop given opening date

South Yorkshire’s newest tram train station is scheduled to open at Magna in Rotherham next month.

The £10m station and Park & Ride at Templeborough will serve the route between Sheffield and Rotherham - improving access for residents, businesses and the Magna Science Adventure Centre, reducing congestion and pollution within the Lower Don Valley, and supporting wider regeneration in the area.

Now SYMCA has confirmed that the new stop will be open on April 9.

Oliver Coppard, the Mayor of South Yorkshire, said: "So here we are at the almost ready Magna tram-train station. I'm really pleased to say it'll be open to passengers to use from Thursday the 9th of April.

"This new station is all part of our plan to build a fully-integrated transport network across South Yorkshire—the South Yorkshire People's Network.

"We can't wait to welcome you onto the platform when the first tram-train services start picking up passengers here next month."

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AmcoGiffen is the principal contractor of the station, which features fully accessible platforms, step-free access via lifts, and a pedestrian overbridge connecting both sides of the tracks.

Cllr Chris Read, Leader of Rotherham Council, said: “It’s great that the new Tram Train stop is now in sight. Rotherham residents and people across the region will benefit from better, greener transport, improving access to jobs in the Templeborough area and beyond.

“And of course it fits into the bigger plan for the Don Valley Corridor between Rotherham and Sheffield; more jobs, more investment, and a transport system that supports it all. The proposed Templeborough Business Zone, which will be within a short walk of this stop, will be an early beneficiary.

Magna is also two short stops from Rotherham’s proposed Gateway station, which will connect businesses and residents in the Templeborough area to mainline rail services in the next few years. It’s a welcome boost, and we’re glad to have worked with partners to get it over the line."

The project is being delivered by SYMCA in partnership with Network Rail and Supertram, with £8.1m in funding from the UK Government’s Transforming Cities Fund.

When South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) signed a funding agreement for the project, it forecasted a completion and entry into service of Autumn/Winter 2024.

Rothbiz reported last year that legal issues and delays associated with obtaining the necessary railway consents had pushed the completion date to November 2025. This was then pushed back to "early 2026."

The £100m+ tram train project launched in 2018 with innovative vehicles running on both rail and tram networks, using the freight route from Rotherham and then joining the Sheffield Supertram network at Meadowhall South. The service runs between Parkgate and Sheffield Cathedral.

A further tram train stop is in the proposals for the new Rotherham Gateway Station.

Supertram website

Images: Sheffield City Council

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News: Rotherham in line for massive jobs boost as part of Don Valley Corridor regeneration scheme

Key areas in Rotherham and Sheffield are at the heart of a flagship place-based regeneration programme for South Yorkshire that will enable over 18,000 jobs and 10,500 new homes through coordinated development.

The Don Valley Corridor will create a unified corridor for innovation, industry and neighbourhood renewal stretching from Sheffield city centre to the site of the proposed Rotherham Gateway Station.

It brings together the UK’s largest concentration of industrial research and production capability outside the South East, anchored by The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), Translational Energy Research Centre, Olympic Legacy Park and major firms including Rolls-Royce, Boeing, McLaren and ITM Power.

Proponents say that: "By unlocking brownfield sites and investing in transport, energy and flood resilience infrastructure, the Don Valley Corridor will drive inclusive, sustainable, long-term regional growth."

The corridor between Sheffield and Rotherham has always been recognised as operating as one economy but the new programme will place the Don Valley as one of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority's (SYMCA's) regional growth areas for investment.

That priority is set to be increased with the proposed designation of the region's first Mayoral Development Zone (MDZ) for the Don Valley Corridor.

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A SYMCA paper explains: "Under these arrangements the MCA will use its existing statutory powers, in particular, its strategic economic development powers and regeneration powers, its own resources and relationships with government, infrastructure providers and the private sector, as part of an integrated place-based programme. This will provide confidence both to the market, government and the wider public sector.

"Mayoral Development Zone is a designation signalling to Government, investors, and partners that an area is a strategic priority for coordinated long-term regeneration. It maintains strategic focus and partnership commitment, strengthens Government engagement, signals readiness to explore enhanced delivery powers if required, and preserves optionality on future statutory mechanisms. This designation responds to specific challenges within the Don Valley Corridor by bringing spatial coherence across a large and complex geography."

Partners have discounted the creation of a Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC), which would have planning authority powers to acquire land, cut red tape, and accelerate high-quality housing and business. The report warns that a MDC would need a costly and rigid structure, potentially slowing progress.

Instead, a MDZ and the programme "adds strategic capacity, investment readiness and cross-boundary alignment so that separate initiatives can be sequenced and leveraged for greater impact."

Bringing together SYMCA with Rotherham Council and Sheffield Council "creates a single front door for Government, agencies and private markets" with governance and the authority's assurance framework in place. The paper adds that "there is shared commitment between SYMCA, RMBC and SCC to resource the programme collectively as a shared endeavour, including programme development capacity."

External funding is set to come from gainshare and other devolved funding pots, including funds that support renewal, housing and infrastructure. Nationally, the programme will be positioned to engage with institutions such as Homes England and the National Wealth Fund.

The Government has this week committed to providing the South Yorkshire Mayor with access to "£85m new money to support jobs and development, including in the Don Valley Corridor and Sheffield Innovation spine."

The Government's recently announced £2.3bn City Investment Fund will bring together different types of finance, deployed flexibly to accelerate projects, expand city-centre housing and office markets, and support major regeneration schemes across the North. It is expected to be used in "developing projects in the Don Valley Corridor, Sheffield city centre Innovation Spine, and Rotherham Town Centre."

Oliver Coppard, Mayor of South Yorkshire said: "We’re building a bigger and better economy across all of South Yorkshire, creating the opportunities that allow people to stay near and go far.

"For too long, South Yorkshire and the wider North have been failed, not only a by a lack of investment in our people, our businesses, our ideas and our infrastructure, but by a lack of ambition itself.

"But slowly, surely we’re beginning to see the South Yorkshire of the future taking shape - with world leading companies in industries of the future investing here, real income growth, and huge plans for the future, we’re starting to see the full potential of every part of Barnsley, Rotherham, Doncaster and Sheffield.

"The UK cannot realise its own economic renewal without places like South Yorkshire playing our full part, but together with this Government we are now making that happen."

Don Valley Corridor aligns with the South Yorkshire Investment Zone which includes Rotherham sites such as the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) at Waverley, parts of Brinsworth and Canklow, the remaining regeneration sites at Templeborough, the Meadowbank Road area along with Holmes and Masbrough, the whole of Rotherham town centre, the Greasbrough Road area, Eastwood, Barbot Hall Industrial Estate, areas of Parkgate (but not the existing retail parks or adjacent land), and land at Aldwarke (but not the existing steel works).

The Mayoral Combined Authority Board is set to discuss the Don Valley Corridor next week.

SYMCA website

Images: Harworth Group / SYMCA

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News: Elevation Recruitment Group launches new division

Following a record-breaking 2025, Rotherham-based Elevation Recruitment Group has launched new Leadership & Executive division, marking a significant milestone in the continued growth and evolution of the business.

The new division brings together the Tembleborough firm's senior recruitment capability under a single, dedicated Leadership and Executive brand, focused on securing high-impact leaders for organisations across Yorkshire and the wider UK. The team boasts over 15 specialists and sector experts.

The decision to launch Leadership & Executive follows a strongest year to date. In 2025, Elevation achieved record revenues, saw sustained client demand, and continued to invest across specialist markets.

Created to meet demand, Leadership and Executive will support appointments across senior leadership, director and executive levels, including Managing Directors, General Managers, Functional Directors, Heads of Department and future leadership talent. It sits between ourthe established leadership recruitment activity and the executive search capability, providing a clear and consistent pathway from leadership through to the C-suite.

At the most senior end of the market, Elevation also operates Parkinson|Lee, an executive search brand specialising in national and international C-suite and Director appointments. Leadership and Executive draws on the strength of the wider group’s networks and market insight, enabling them to identify high-calibre leaders who are often not visible through traditional recruitment channels.

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By bringing together senior specialists from across our core markets, including Engineering and Manufacturing, Accountancy and Finance, Technology and Transformation, People and HR, Sales, Marketing, Procurement and Supply Chain, this division represents one of the most comprehensive Leadership and Executive recruitment teams in the region.

A spokesperson for Elevation, said: "The quality of leadership appointments matters more than ever. Getting the right people in place is not just about filling roles; it is about setting businesses up to move forward with confidence.

"One of the real strengths of this division is the depth of our specialist teams and the networks they have built over many years. That gives us access not only to experienced leaders and directors, but also to emerging talent and future executives who are often under the radar. Because we sit so closely to our markets, we are engaging with individuals well before they are actively considering a move, allowing us to support immediate leadership needs while also advising on longer term succession as organisations scale and evolve."

The company said that the latest launch forms part of a wider growth strategy, with continued investment planned across its people, brand and market presence, building on the momentum of 2025.

Elevation Recruitment Group website

Images: Elevation Recruitment Group

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News: Rotherham Council rejects office conversion plans

Purpose built office space in Rotherham cannot be converted into a place of worship, the local council ruling plans "incompatible" with surrounding industrial uses.

Rothbiz reported in 2025 on change of use plans submitted for a partially vacant building at Bradmarsh Business Park in Templeborough.

Hope Church Rotherham is affiliated to the British Assemblies of God. In 2004 local church groups joined together to become known as "The Hope of Rotherham Christian Church," meeting in various premises throughout the borough. The name was changed to "Hope Church" and in October 2013 they secured their first ever church property on Grove Road, near the town centre.

With plans in to convert the Grove Road premises, in May 2023 the church moved to Clifton Community School for Sunday services, and the Unity Centre at St Ann's for most mid-week events.

Plans show how Reresby House, previously home to business support agencies including RiDO and Business Link, could accommodate a main audatorium and workshop space on the ground floor with further workshop and office space on the first floor to support the church's religious and community services.

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The application was refused without going before the council's planning board. Officers stated that they had "substantial concerns that the proposed use would see the loss of a commercial unit on a strategically placed industrial estate, of which part of the building is still occupied.

"Any alternative use would result in the loss of an important asset within a well-established and sought after employment estate."

Planning policies set out that proposals in industrial and business areas also need to positively contribute to the range and quality of employment opportunities in the borough with planners concluding that "the proposals by Hope Church are considered to be incompatible with the primary purpose and function of this strategic employment site.

"The proposal should be compatible with or complimentary to the other surrounding uses. In this instance, the proposal would not achieve this objective and would have a negative impact upon the surrounding businesses, especially the office space within the building that is still in use by the other company."

S3ID Ltd has a lease on part of the building until 2028.

The council's Highways Department said that current car parking facilities will prove inadequate for a church and out of town community uses and added that "Bradmarsh Business Park is subject to extensive on-street car parking and this has resulted in parking restrictions being implemented on the business park. This application could exasperate this situation further and as such it cannot be supported."

Images: Eddisons

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News: Swim school going to great lengths to make new Rotherham location a success

A local company is looking to make a splash having secured planning permission to expand into another Rotherham location.

Rothbiz reported in September on Super Swimmers identifying Unit 4 Phoenix Riverside at Templeborough to help address the substantial waiting lists in the area for the type of swimming lessons they offer.

Rotherham Council has now approved change of use plans for the 5,740 sq ft commercial unit so that a swimming pool and associated facilities can be installed.

Planners were satisfied that the leisure use would not have a significant detrimental impact on parking in the area, given that surrounding businesses, such as the nearby pub, would let users park in their car parks, and that larger, busier swim lessons and parties would only take place after 5pm and on weekends.

Super Swimmers was established in 2009 and initially the swim school operated through hire of public and private pools for children’s lessons. it now operates from two of its own locations - Dinnington in Rotherham, and Rossington Hall in Doncaster.

The new unit will provide teaching classes for children aged three and older along with one-on-one teaching lessons for individual children who may benefit from additional support. They also plan to introduce the parent and baby sessions and hire to local baby lesson providers, all of which will be available to the local area.

Children’s parties will also be made available which have proved very popular in the two sister venues. They also plan to work with the local schools and community groups to offer bespoke teaching packages to enhance the offer available at the unit.

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Ryan Plant, director of Super Swimmers, said: "We are so excited to have been granted permission for the development of the unit in Phoenix Riverside. We are working with a local contractor to build the pool and are working closely with the planning network to ensure we are as sustainable as possible."

The current operations now employs around 50 team members including teachers and water-based assistants, with more to come with the third location. Ryan added: "We spend time training and mentoring all of our younger team members and assist with any relevant training qualifications to not only support their role at the business but also help them in their future careers."

The plan is for Super Swimmers of Rotherham to be open at Templeborough in early 2026.

Ryan and fellow director, Rachel Turner added: "We are so excited to be taking this next step on the Super Swimmers journey particularly in the current climate. Our business has suffered like many others, but we hope to take the business to the next stage with the opening of our third site and the support of the local community. It has been a dream of ours since we started to be a provider of swimming lessons across numerous communities and we feel now is the right time to make the next step."

The plans were approved without going before the council's planning board. Planners balanced up the potential loss of a business unit with the fact that the proposal will generate employment and works to create the pool are reversible so the unit could revert back to a standard employment facility.

Super Swimmers website

Images: Super Swimmers

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News: Church plan for Rotherham offices

A growing, friendly, family church has set its sights on new premises in Rotherham where it hopes to secure planning permission to use a vacant office.

Hope Church Rotherham is affiliated to the British Assemblies of God. In 2004 local church groups joined together to become known as "The Hope of Rotherham Christian Church," meeting in various premises throughout the borough. The name was changed to "Hope Church" and in October 2013 they secured their first ever church property on Grove Road, near Rotherham town centre.

With plans in to convert the Grove Road premises, in May 2023 the church moved to Clifton Community School for Sunday services, and the Unity Centre at St Ann's for most mid-week events.

Now offices at Bradmarsh Business Park in Templeborough could provide a permanent location within the heart of Rotherham to support their religious and community services.

Plans show how Reresby House, previously home to business support agencies including RiDO and Business Link, could accommodate a main audatorium and workshop space on the ground floor with further workshop and office space on the first floor.

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The church hopes to build its congregation to 200-300 people and offer training courses run by the Church / voluntary sector plus space for meetings and conferences, and mid-week small group morning meetings.

A change of use from office use to a place of worship would be required.

The plans, drawn up by PlanningDesign, state: "The loss of an office use would not significantly impact the amount of available employment land within the authority area. Instead, a substantial surplus employment land would remain prevalent.

"It is noted that part of Reresby House is currently part occupied by S3-ID who utilise the southwest wing as ground floor workshop and associated first floor offices. Hope Church are intending to purchase the whole site and maintain the lease of S3-ID, who have a 7-year lease with a break clause at 13th October 2028."

S3 ID, the provider of cutting edge location awareness solutions, moved from premises at Eastwood to Templeborough in 2013.

The site has been on the market since December 2023 with agents Eddisons confirming that only ten viewings by six companies / individuals have been carried out over the marketing period, with no further progress by these parties.

Last month, Rothbiz reported on plans from The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Freedom Centre (RCCG FC) to convert Norton House, a five storey 1960's/70's office building in Rotherham town centre so that it could be used as a place of worship.

Hope Church website

Images: Eddisons

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News: Rotherham Opportunities College forges partnership with Magna

Two former students at Rotherham Opportunities College are embarking on the first chapter in their chosen careers, after securing new roles at the Magna Science Adventure Centre.

Millie and Asia are the first beneficiaries of a new partnership between the two organisations, which aims to help young adults with disabilities to secure paid employment after successfully completing their studies.

During their time studying at Rotherham Opportunities College, both Millie and Asia, who have special educational needs, successfully spent time developing their communication and teamwork skills, as well as gaining valuable work experience through the college’s supported internship programme. The duo also successfully completed independent travel training courses, helping them to develop the vital skills needed to make unassisted journeys using public transport.

In their new roles, Millie has joined Magna’s front of house team, where she welcomes visitors to the popular attraction as well as processes online ticket sales, whilst Asia works in Magna’s busy gift shop and can be regularly found working behind the till.

The partnership between Rotherham Opportunities College and Magna will help more students to gain valuable work experience, through a specially developed supported internship programme, as they prepare for life after college. It is hoped that more students will be able to follow the path that Asia and Millie have carved by securing paid work at the popular attraction.

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Richard Hammill, Chief Executive, Magna Science Adventure Centre, said: “Rotherham Opportunities College is a truly unique organisation and having seen first-hand the transformational work being delivered, I was keen to explore ways in which Magna could support the students by working together in the future.

"Since joining us, both Asia and Millie have made an instant, positive impact and have quickly established themselves as valued members of staff. Through our partnership, I hope that more students will have the chance to gain work experience at Magna, and I’m sure others will follow the shining example set by Asia and Millie and go on to secure paid work with us.”

Dr Perdita Mouseley, Principal, Rotherham Opportunities College, said: “Over the past few years, we have forged some excellent working relationships with businesses throughout Rotherham. Our mission is to ensure that students at Rotherham Opportunities College are able to enjoy many of those things that we all take for granted – and that includes earning a regular salary.

"Millie and Asia were both wonderful students during their time at college and it’s great to see that their efforts have been rewarded with paid employment. Our partnership with Magna is an exciting milestone for the college, and it will help more students to gain valuable work experience.

"Supporting students, through providing work experience or a supported internship, can also be a very positive experience. Employers have regularly told us that the experience boosts morale, strengthens teams and enables staff to enjoy a real sense of achievement by helping someone to succeed.”

Magna website
Rotherham Opportunities College website

Images: Rotherham Opportunities College

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