A chartered surveyors has welcomed graduate building surveyor Hannah Woodcock to its team.
Jonathan Cornes Associates (JCA) , which is headquartered in Newcastle-under-Lyme and has offices in London, Manchester and Birmingham, has appointed Hannah to the role after she successfully gained a first class honours degree in building surveying from Birmingham City University.
The company provides independent advice, support and services on all technical surveying matters – from dilapidations to project management.
JCA managing director Jonathan Cornes said: "JCA has grown, is growing, and we are ambitious for that to continue and we are extremely confident that it will do.
"Appointing Hannah really is a reflection of this. She is the third graduate building surveyor that we have appointed in recent times, and we think that this shows that the company's future is bright and also of our determination to employ and develop the cream of young, talented building surveyors."
Elsewhere, children's charity Caudwell Children has announced two new executive appointments.
Ashok Kalia and Viki Williams both joined the Keele-based organisation last month (March) to take on the director of marketing and communications and chief medical officer roles, respectively.
The duo both bring a wealth of experience and join the executive board of the charity, which supported more than 11,000 disabled and autistic children in 2021 – the most in its 21-year history.
Chief executive officer Trudi Beswick said: "The pandemic has been extremely difficult for our staff and most of all our beneficiaries, but out of all the tragedy and hardship we have found some real silver linings which have enabled us to accelerate some of our plans and reach more families than ever before.
"We want to maintain this momentum and continue to be there when families need us most and to do that we need the skills, experience and leadership that will take Caudwell Children to the next phase of our development.
"In Ashok and Viki I know we have two highly experienced and talented leaders in their fields, I'm excited to be working with them and to see the new ideas and energy that they bring to the team."
New chief medical officer, Viki Williams, said: "I met Trudi and visited the Caudwell International Children's Centre and was immediately blown away with both the work that had already been done by the charity and also the aspiration for continuing to grow our reach and impact on the lives of disabled children and young people."
Ashok Kalia, who joins Caudwell Children as director of marketing and communications, said: "I've known Trudi and some of the team for several years now and have always admired what the charity has done in the past.
"I feel a great sense of responsibility and pride to be given the task of helping the charity as it continues to grow and I'm really excited to bring some of my creative ideas and experience from the commercial sector and use them to elevate this much-loved brand to the next level."
And safety professional Darren Bedson has been co-opted onto the management board of the Football Safety Officers Association (FSOA) and as chair of the organisations' West Midlands region.
Darren is a deputy safety officer at Port Vale's home ground Vale Park – and is a regular presence at the stadium on match days.
Now he has been appointed to this latest role after being nominated by the club's safety and security officer, John Rutherford, at the FSOA's recent AGM.
Darren said: "It's fantastic to get involved at management board level for the FSOA and I'm honoured that John put my name forward.
"I've worked as a safety practitioner for more than 20 years and got involved at Port Vale, the club I support, in 2018.
"I'm now looking forward to getting involved in supporting the FSOA across the UK and, in particular, working with all the clubs in the West Midlands."
Darren uses his vast experience as a safety professional to help keep football supporters safe. Day-to-day, he heads a team of health and safety consultants working with companies across the UK.
He's also a Chartered fellow of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, the highest industry sector qualification, and supports up and coming professionals as a mentor for the organisation.
John Rutherford said: "I was pleased to nominate Darren to be co-opted on to the FSOA management board. He's a professional at the top of his game and we love to have him with us at Vale Park."
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Specialist dementia care provider Belong Newcastle-under-Lyme has appointed Martin Rix as its new chief executive.
Mr Rix will lead the 100-strong organisation, which operates on Lower Street, after joining from Norfolk-based Norse Care.
His appointment follows the retirement of former chief executive Tracey Stakes in January 2022. Since then, Belong's chief operating officer, Stacey McCann and chief finance officer, Chris Hughes have jointly covered the post as an interim arrangement.
Mr Rix said: "Belong villages are a leading light within the sector, making a significant contribution to driving standards and creating opportunities, particularly for people with dementia.
"It's a very exciting time to be joining the organisation, and I'm looking forward to working alongside an incredibly dedicated and talented team of people as we continue to innovate into the future."
Chair of the board Nicola Brooks said: "We are delighted to welcome Martin to Belong's executive team. His appointment as chief executive followed a rigorous recruitment process and we have every confidence that we have found someone with the leadership skills and integrity to take the organisation forward into a new era of growth as we emerge from the pandemic."
