Here is this month’s business news from around the county
Success on a plate for Mercedes-Benz in Chelmsford
Just days before the arrival of the new 16 registration plate, the Chelmsford-based Lancaster Mercedes-Benz Corporate team has been celebrating its own registration record. 2015 was a resounding success for the nine-strong department, which has just handed over the keys to the last of the 1,133 cars ordered by leasing companies and local businesses throughout Essex and Suffolk. As well as breaking through the 1,000 car barrier for the first time, Lancaster Mercedes-Benz Corporate was also named Best Supplier Group for the second year running by Lex Autolease, the UK’s number one leasing company.
Birkett Long staff raise £11,000
Over the past 18 months, hardworking staff at Essex law firm Birkett Long have raised more than £11,000 for its chosen charity, The Rob George Foundation. To raise this incredible amount, members of staff at Birkett Long have taken part in many fantastic fundraisers. Events varied from smaller activities, such as dress-down days and raffles, to larger events like The Big Walk which saw associate solicitor Reggie Lloyd and partner Tim Ogle walk the 81-mile Essex Way in one go, helping to raise more than £2,000 in the process. The Rob George Foundation was set up in memory of the former Colchester Grammar School student and gifted sportsman. Rob had been living with leukaemia for a number of years and was the son of Birkett Long’s former managing partner, Philip George.
Floristry entrepreneur opens her first shop
Entrepreneur and former Writtle College floristry student, Sophie Jones, has opened her first florist shop – Ivy Rose Florist in Brentwood. Sophie, who is from Brentwood, completed both the Level 2 and Level 3 diploma in floristry at Writtle College, finishing in June 2015. While studying at Writtle, Sophie was invited to compete in a floristry challenge on the Alan Titchmarsh Television Show, judged by celebrity florist Simon Lycett, which she won! Sophie opened her brand new shop on Ongar Road in Brentwood in February. Prior to this she was working as a freelance florist for several Essex-based florists. Sophie said: ‘I wanted to create a shop where everyone feels welcome, no matter what the occasion, and to appeal to a wide range of customers. As well as selling flowers, we also have a range of bulbs and plants that are beautifully potted and we will shortly be selling candles from a Suffolk-based wholesaler. I have a great enthusiasm for wedding floristry and am delighted to have already taken several bookings for this year and am looking forward to many more.’
You ‘can can’ fly to Paris from Southend
EasyJet has launched its new route from London Southend Airport to Paris Charles de Gaulle. The new route to the world’s most romantic city is easyJet’s 15th from London Southend and the airline is expected to carry 50,000 passengers a year between London Southend and the French capital. Passengers on board the first flight were given a warm, Parisian style send off by a colourful troupe of can-can girls.
Neil Slaven, UK commercial manager at easyJet, said: ‘We’re delighted to be adding a new route to Paris and it’s great to be here today to witness the first flight from the airport. Our Paris routes across the network have proved extremely popular in both the summer and winter owing to its world famous attractions for the leisure market and the link for business passengers it brings. We are able to make it easy and affordable to reach both sides of the route providing value for British and French passengers.’
