Wearside wealth management company Northern Spire marked its 21st anniversary by signing up its 1,000th client and two more team members.
David Cook, who launched financial advice company Northern Spire in Sunderland, revealed the company now has more than £140m under its management. He started his journey selling coach holidays to travel agents before moving into the financial sector.
Mr Cook, a founder of the Mussel Club networking organisation, said: “I was looking for something else, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. Then on a works night out, we ended up in a bar where the comedian Spike Rawlings was having a drink. I overheard a conversation in which he was saying he’d been earning good money as a financial adviser.
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"So the next day I somehow I tracked Spike down, explained who I was and that I too wanted to be a financial adviser. He roared with laughter at my cheek, but helped me set up a meeting with Hill Samuel Financial Services. I put on my shiny suit and went to Hill Samuel in Newcastle. They thought I had a cheek too, and said I was too young, I was only 20. However, they liked my confidence so took me on and sent me on a course in Birmingham to become a financial adviser.”
After working with Barclays for 10 years he was headhunted by a wealth management services company before setting up Northern Spire in 2002, which is now a senior partner practice of St James’s Place Wealth Management, averaging 200 new clients a year. He added: “We’ve come a long way in 21 years but we’re still growing at a good rate and we’re ready to scale-up further.”
Newcastle Gateshead Initiative (NGI) has donated the proceeds of a raffle held at the recent North East England Tourism Awards.
NGI has presented £3,000 to NE Youth, the Newcastle development charity, to help further its work with young people and its efforts to make a positive difference to the lives within the region. The organisation works towards ensuring all young people deserve to get involved in their communities, enjoy their lives, and achieve their potential. More than 40 prizes were up for grabs at this annual event, with donations from the region’s businesses.
Jon Niblo, chief executive, NE Youth said: “This funding will allow us to continue to provide high quality youth work provision in key communities and support some of the most disadvantaged young people to access safe spaces, well-being and employability support. A huge thank you to NGI who chose NE Youth as their nominated charity, this will really make a difference to young peoples lives.”
Ian Thomas, destination director NGI, said: “Although it comes as no surprise, the huge generosity of the tourism businesses in our region has been quite incredible. From overnight stays to vouchers, memberships to gifts - every raffle prize donated contributed to this fantastic sum. We are incredibly grateful to the businesses and of course everyone who bought a raffle ticket on the night. At NGI we are committed to creating opportunities for residents, supporting communities and making great places to live and work. By working with our partners and supporting charities like NE Youth we can help inspire young people and ensure the jobs and opportunities we create are accessible to all.”
A Teesside estate agency has been rewarded for outstanding customer service by a national awards provider.
Browns Estate Agency, which has offices in Norton, Stockton and Darlington, has been named the winner of The British Property Award for Stockton-on-Tees for the second time, having previously won the award in 2021.The firm’s Norton office team were praised for excellence in customer service throughout the judging period.
Director Simon Brown said: “We are thrilled to have won this award for a second time. We would like to thank our clients for their continuous trust and support, and our team for their hard work and dedication. We pride ourselves on going above and beyond for our clients, and this award reaffirms that our efforts have not gone unnoticed.”
The British Property Awards team personally mystery shops every estate agent and judges against a set of 25 factors. Browns Estate Agency is now on the shortlist for the national awards, which will be announced later in the year.
Staycations provider Verdant Leisure has teamed up with national charity Brain Tumour Research to raise £50,000 over the next 12 months.
Team Verdant began its year of fundraising by taking part in the charity’s annual event Wear A Hat Day. Colleagues from its 13 holiday parks across Scotland, northern England and north Devon took part, encouraging holidaymakers and owners to get involved.
Now in its 14th year, Wear A Hat Day has raised more than £2m for Brain Tumour Research to help fund the fight against the disease. Verdant has a busy year ahead and other fundraising plans include open days at its holiday parks with attractions for people of all ages.
Stacey Hope, communications director at Verdant Leisure, said: “We are delighted to have chosen Brain Tumour Research as our charity partner, and are looking forward to a year of fundraising activities. Supporting charities that are close to our hearts is important to everyone at Verdant, and we are proud of the team for their willingness to get stuck in and help raise money.”
Matt Howarth, the charity’s corporate development manager, said: “We are extremely grateful to Verdant and to everyone who supported Brain Tumour Research in the public vote. I am looking forward to working with the team as it develops its fundraising over the coming months.”
A group of North East businesspeople who spent a night outside helped to raise funds of £65,000 as well as awareness of homelessness.
A total of 75 people took part in the recent CEO Sleepout, held at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium, with donations still rolling in to help people who are homeless across the region.
The event celebrated the national initiative’s 10th birthday in the place where it all began in 2013. Middlesbrough mayor Andy Preston came up with the idea to host the event, which gained support from the local business community.
The sleepout was in collaboration with Middlesbrough FC Foundation, The Teesside Charity and local grassroots charities on the frontline supporting people who are or at risk of homelessness every day. Participants also heard from people who have lived through and overcome homelessness.
Chief executive of the charity Bianca Robinson said: “It’s amazing to see how willing the Teesside community is as a collective to get behind this very important cause and show real, tangible support for some of the most marginalised people in our area, and those who need the most help. The atmosphere on the night was wonderful and knowing we were helping vulnerable people from the local area made it all the more special. I’m so proud of the Teesside business community for sleeping out and supporting our charity, especially considering many business people are facing their own challenges with soaring costs.”
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