NW senior executives can apply for a funded place on highly acclaimed leadership and management courses, run by Manchester-based employee engagement expert, Phoenix Way Group.

There are several funding streams available to businesses to develop their leaders and managers as part of The Phoenix Way Group’s exceptional series which returns this autumn.

Since it’s inception in October 2009, the series has taken over 1000 regional leaders through management and leadership training programmes, with subjects ranging from motivational leadership to strategic finance skills.

Alison Bagnall, Leadership Director at Phoenix Way said: “Businesses in the North West have recognised the importance of continuing to invest in their leaders and managers. Creating a motivated and engaged workforce is high on the agenda at the moment. Leaders understand that tough economic conditions create huge opportunities.

“Notably, the North West still has a lot of funding available to help businesses develop the skills of their leaders and managers. Most of the people who have been through our programmes have tapped into this funding which in many cases has paid for the courses completely.”

Employee engagement is very much on the radar of most businesses – and rightly so.  Research conducted by Gallup indicated that only 19% of the UK workforce are actively engaged – leaving 81% as not engaged. The research also proves that increased engagement leads to increased productivity and profitability.

According to a recent ‘state of the region’ survey by The Business Desk and DLA Piper – businesses in the North West believe that in order to improve business culture in the region – better sharing of ideas amongst business leaders would prove to be the most beneficial.

Alison concluded: “Every one of our leadership programmes is designed to inspire the leaders not only with their world-leading trainers, but by bringing leaders together to share ideas and best practice.  We want to help all business leaders in the North West to be the best they can be so they can compete on a global scale.”

To find out more information on the courses and the funding, visit www.phoenixwaygroup.co.uk, call 0161 200 1670 or email ab@pw-g.co.uk

icelolly.com Beach Bodies Challenge 2010

icelolly.com has today launched a nationwide campaign to find the UK’s best bikini bodies.

icelolly.com will be awarding the ‘best female beach body’ and ‘best male beach body’, as voted for by icelolly.com fans!

They are urging people to send in a full length photo or video clip of themselves in swimwear, with the chance to win a fabulous holiday for two!

icelolly.com will then shortlist 12 finalists, judged by celebrity model Matt Peacock!

Please follow the link for your chance to enter http://www.icelolly.com/beachbodies

Leading retail training specialist Beyond The Box has won another major contract with leading major retail group DSG international plc (‘DSGi’) – parent of Currys, Currys Digital and PC World, to undertake a training programme for store colleagues for the six months up to November 2010.

Following on from the success of both Beyond The Box’s nine month programme for DSGi, a 6 week training programme in the run up to Christmas, and a further contract to Easter 2010, store colleagues will now undergo further intensive product knowledge and sales skills coaching.

Leading NW based full service Production Company with specialism’s in visual effects and live action filming, Carbon Digital, has unveiled its new project for Johnson & Johnson Baby Oil.

Working together with Lowe London, Carbon Digital was tasked with creating and producing the live action filming for the new TV commercial, aiming to promote Johnson & Johnson Baby Oil’s latest web campaign.

Carbon Digital has a blue chip client base, undertaking global projects for leading household names such as Domestos and other grocery brands, which sit within Unilever’s impressive portfolio.

Blue Bell BMW in Wilmslow attended a packed event at Oulton Park on 5 – 6 June at the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTTC).

Over thirty thousand people visited the event over the weekend, which held a packed programme of championship races, along with family entertainment including air demonstrations, an RAF parachute display and the chance to explore the BTCC pit lane.

With the championship reaching such a crucial stage, Blue Bell knew this would be the perfect platform to display a range of BMW cars available including the X5, Z4 and the M3 Coupe.

Blue Bell MINI's Matthew Mazurek and Competition Winner Adam Jenkinson

Superbikes star, Adam Jenkinson is celebrating his MINI Active Lifestyle Challenge win with Blue Bell MINI.

Adam the British Superbike Rider, who is part of the Buildbase Kawasaki Team, has won two British Championships in Mini Motors. Having just taken part in an intensive 2K run for the Blue Bell MINI Challenge, he won the competition with the fastest time and was awarded with a limited edition MINI Cooper for the weekend.

Adam is now in fact celebrating a triple success as he returns to racing, following a coccyx injury and moreover has just celebrated the birth of his daughter Amber, who is now two months old. Adam also competed at Oulton Park on 1-2 May, and was delighted to finish in the top ten of the British Super Bike Championship – one of the top three racing categories in the world.

Adam drove away in a MINI Cooper Graphite – this special edition, with Dark Silver metallic paint offers enhanced standard equipment levels over existing Hatch models and retails at £17,850.

If your man is more Jeremy Clarkson than Jude Law, check out a new complimentary style service from designer independent menswear chain, Pockets.

Pre-bookable with an e-voucher, this bespoke service is available on Fridays at 5 Pockets branches across the NW and Midlands.

Pockets Online Wesbite

Ideal as an extra gift or for additional help choosing an outfit for that special occasion, Pockets is also offering a further 10 per cent off all purchases made at the time of the consultation.

The service is operating from their stores in Worcester, Newcastle Under Lyne, Hanley, Nantwich and Shrewsbury (casual store), and has been launched in celebration of the launch of their new fully transactional website, bringing top designer brands direct to your door.

At the 15 minute consultation, a Pockets consultant will give advice on the latest looks and how to update an existing wardrobe.

For further information, and for details on how to book a ‘Pockets Style Session’, go to www.pockets.co.uk

Leading Lancashire-based law firm Vincents Solicitors launches a new office this month.

Located in Longridge, this latest branch adds a fifth location to the Vincents network, which currently includes branches in Preston, Garstang, Fleetwood and Knott End.

The office will specialise in conveyancing, probate and wills, as well as having the scope to offer wider services.

Heading up the new Longridge office, located on Calder Avenue, off Berry Lane, is qualified solicitor Talitha Murphy. Talitha (32) studied law at the University of Central Lancashire and The College of Law in Chester, and has since worked in the South of England, gaining a good grounding in the pressurised London conveyancing market.

More information on Vincents can be found by visiting their website www.vslaw.co.uk

Leading full service Production Company with specialisms in visual effects and live action filming, Carbon Digital has recently consolidated its position thanks to a £30,000 investment from North West Vision and Media, facilitating the production of a state-of-the-art showreel.

Carbon Digital has been granted the funding to showcase the firm’s talents in the form of a cutting edge showreel, which is shot on Red cam, against green screen, utilising the latest motion tracking and composting techniques. All 3D animation was created using Autodesk Softimage and the fluid simulations were created in Next Limit’s Realflow software.

The showreel is produced in a trailer format and is comparable to big Hollywood blockbusters. In the trailer, a robotic killing machine is hunting down a lone female…or is it all a dream?

Andrew Thomas of NW Vision and Media says: “The team at Carbon Digital is extremely talented and have a real sense of forward vision and ability that deserves to be showcased. It was extremely exciting to see the end result and we wish them every success with their future work.”

To see Carbon Digital’s showreel, go to:- www.carbondigital.co.uk

Leading Creative and Digital agency Blueleaf has recently launched their very own cycling team from the world famous Manchester Velodrome – the home of cycling. 

‘Team Blueleaf’ will be competing on a national level at various different competitions throughout the year and across different disciplines of Road, Track and Mountain Bike.

Due to the agencies keen interest in a variety of their sporting clients, especially British Cycling, who the agency has worked with strategically for 12 years, it seemed relevant that MD Adrian Lomas challenged Blueleaf employees to train together and form a winning line up.

Adrian, MD at Blueleaf says: “We are really passionate about cycling and I am so excited that we now have the chance to have launched Team Blueleaf, supporting and helping each other to achieve our goals.  Cycling is a great team sport and one that is certainly keeping us fit and healthy for life and our passion for our work!”

For more information on Blueleaf go to www.blue-leaf.co.uk