Munnelly Group, the family-owned group of businesses serving critical infrastructure and the built environment, has published its results for the year ended 31st March 2026, reporting turnover growth of 8.6% to £181.2 million (2025: £166.8 million). Highlights Turnover up 8.6% to £181.2 million (2025: £166.8 million) Gross profit up 6.6% to £14.5 million (2025: £13.6 million) Profit before tax up 15% to £1.79 million (2025: £1.55 million) Cash generated from operations of £2.8 million (2025: £1.8 million), with year-end cash of £7.8 million and no bank debt Net assets up 7.6% to £12.4 million (2025: £11.5 million) People retention up to 74% (2025: 66%) Long-term, contracted growth Growth came from across the Group and increasingly from long-term, contracted work with tier one contractors and public sector clients. During the year the Group secured new multi-year programmes in the custodial and justice estate, extended its role on major rail renewal and upgrade programmes, was mandated across the rail estate of leading tier one contractors and deepened its relationships in transport, aviation and regulated infrastructure. Investing in the future The Group invested in its people, technology, home and governance during the year. It strengthened its Board with two new executive roles, a Director of Compliance and a Director of People and Culture, from 1st April 2026. It also delivered its own leadership development programme across all eight businesses and moved into its new headquarters at The Dock in Kings Langley. Both the leadership programme and Munnelly Support Services have been shortlisted at the Construction News Workforce Awards 2026. Target 2030 During the year, the Board launched Target 2030, the Group's strategy to become the UK's most trusted vertically integrated delivery partner across critical infrastructure and the built environment, built on the principle of One Group, One Mission, One Standard. Across its eight companies, the Group supports clients from pre-construction through to delivery and handover. PD Munnelly, Group CEO, said: "These results are a credit to our people across all eight of our companies. In a market that has been challenging for much of the sector, we have grown, strengthened our balance sheet and invested in our people, our technology and our governance. Clients increasingly want one trusted partner who can support them from the earliest stages of a project right through to handover." "That is exactly what we are building through Target 2030, and we are excited about the opportunities ahead in energy, nuclear, defence, rail, roads and justice." Phil Munnelly, Group Chairman, said: "As a family business, we plan in years, not quarters. This has been a year of real progress, and the investment we have made in our people and platforms puts the Group in a strong position for the rest of the decade." Graham Fisk, Group Finance Director, said: "We have grown the business while keeping a firm grip on cash. Cash generated from operations rose to £2.8 million, debtor days improved to 23, and we ended the year with £7.8 million in the bank and no borrowings." "That financial strength gives us the freedom to keep investing in our people and technology and to move quickly on the opportunities Target 2030 sets out." Outlook Trading in the first months of the current financial year has been in line with the Board's expectations, with turnover ahead of the prior year. The Group enters the period with no bank debt, a strong cash position and a broad base of long-standing clients.

Many new business owners assume profit should be the immediate goal, but cash is the real lifeblood of a business, and even profitable businesses can fail if they don’t pay close enough attention to their cashflow. Especially in the early stages of a business, carefully managing cashflow can be the difference between survival and insolvency. Understanding where cash is coming from, where it is going, and what demands are coming around the corner is one of the most valuable disciplines an entrepreneur can develop. There are steps you can take from day one to ensure that you stay on top of your liquidity and avoid any nasty surprises. Profit Doesn’t Pay The Bills, Cash Does One of the most common mistakes made by growing businesses is assuming that a healthy profit means the business is financially secure, but profit is not the same as cash. In reality, there can be a significant gap between making a sale and receiving the cash. For example: You invoice a customer for £20,000 The customer has 60-day payment terms You need to pay staff, suppliers and overheads before the customer pays. On paper, the business is profitable. In practice, the bank account may be running dangerously low. Long-term investments, slow payers, delivery delays; there are many examples of business pressures that don’t affect profitability but can be seriously detrimental to your cashflow. Understanding the difference between profit and cash is one of the most important lessons entrepreneurs often learn the hard way, Successful business owners focus on both from day one. Rolling Cashflow Forecasts If you’re flying blind as a business owner, by the time you identify a liquidity crisis it may be too late. Lack of visibility can make it daunting to invest if you’re running low on cash, or overconfident if you have a significant buffer sitting in the bank. Forecasting can help eliminate that uncertainty. A good cashflow forecast will show future predictions of the following: Cash available at any given time – This can identify financing needs in advance, or good times to invest. Do you have a buffer in place for surprise bills? Customer receipts – Make sure your credit terms work for your business needs, and identify when you might need customer incentives to pay early. Seasonality – Not every business is consistent throughout the year. Make sure expected seasonality is factored into your forecasts. Planned expenditure – When will you pay suppliers and will you need to renegotiate supplier terms? When will you need to make large investments? Tax liabilities – Stay on top of your payment obligations. Multiple liabilities might need to be paid at certain pinch points throughout the year, so save for these in advance. Loan repayments – Will you have enough cash to meet requirements? Consider any banking covenants you need to comply with. Stress tests – Scrutinise your own assumptions - how much would it impact you if actual sales were, say, 20% below estimates? Plan for unexpected shocks. A combination of the right accounting software, AI solutions and discussing your assumptions with your accountant can produce a forecast you can rely on, and it means you have one oven-ready if external lenders and investors ask for proof of future liquidity. It should be updated regularly to ensure you’re adapting to the performance in real time, and assumptions made should be realistic so that you can make sensible business decisions. Out-of-date or misleading forecasts can be just as dangerous as having none at all. Don't Forget The Finance Finance is sometimes seen in a negative light by new business owners, but raising external finance is not always a sign of a struggling business. In contrast, it can accelerate growth and provide liquidity for the up-front investment often needed when setting up a new business operation. There’s a whole range of financing options available to business owners, even at the early stages, such as: Bank lending Asset finance Invoice finance Director funding Equity investment. The right option will depend on the stage and nature of the business. Choosing the wrong kind of finance can often leave you paying more in fees and interest than needed. We work with businesses to identify the right type of finance for the specific needs of their business such as investment, credit control, growth or asset purchase. Understand Your Working Capital Cycle Working capital is the cash tied up in the day-to-day operation of the business and is unique to every business. From the moment you accept an order to the moment cash has exchanged hands, there are key cogs in the machine that need to turn, and this process is known as the working capital cycle. For example, you may have to buy raw materials in first, pay for the staff to carry out the work, convert those materials into a finished product, deliver that product to the customer and after all that, you need to ensure the customer pays! Cash might change hands at vastly different times at each step in this process, so understanding your own working capital cycle can help you forecast and negotiate the right credit terms with your suppliers and your customers. Three key areas deserve particular attention: 1. Debtors The faster customers pay, the stronger your cash position. Consider: Issuing invoices promptly Using clear payment terms Following up overdue balances consistently Taking deposits where appropriate Many businesses spend excessive time winning work but insufficient time collecting payment. 2. Creditors Managing supplier payments effectively can improve cash flow without damaging relationships. This means: Understanding payment terms Avoiding unnecessary early payments Planning larger purchases carefully. The objective is not to delay payment unfairly, but to manage cash sensibly. 3. Stock For product-based businesses, excess stock can absorb large amounts of cash. Ask yourself: How much stock is genuinely required? What’s your stock turnaround time? Are slow-moving items tying up cash? Can ordering processes be improved? Every pound sitting on a shelf is a pound unavailable elsewhere. Summary In the early stages of a business, cash is often the difference between growth and stagnation, or even survival and failure. While sales, profits and growth are important indicators of success, maintaining control of cash flow provides the foundation that allows everything else to happen. Businesses that regularly forecast, collect cash promptly, manage working capital carefully and plan ahead for tax obligations put themselves in the strongest position to navigate the inevitable challenges of growth.

Family Business United has launched a dedicated Autumn Budget 2026 content library, bringing together the commentary, analysis and expert insight that family business owners need to make sense of the Chancellor’s announcements and what they mean for the future of their firms. With John Healey set to deliver his first Budget as Chancellor on Wednesday 28 October, the library offers a single place to follow the issues that matter most to the family business community, from tax and investment to succession planning and the long term health of the businesses that underpin the UK economy. What The Library Includes The collection brings together pieces published ahead of the Budget, reaction on the day and considered analysis in the weeks that follow. The library will be updated regularly as the detail of the Budget emerges and as the implications for family businesses become clearer. Why It Matters Paul Andrews, Founder and CEO of Family Business United, said: “Every Budget brings a flurry of headlines, but family business owners need more than headlines." "They need clear, considered insight into how the decisions made in Westminster will affect their businesses, their families and their plans for the next generation." "This library brings that thinking together in one place so that owners can focus on what really counts.” What do this year’s announcements mean for your family business and your succession plans? And is your business ready to adapt to whatever the Chancellor brings? The Autumn Budget 2026 will shape the landscape for family businesses for years to come. FBU’s new content library is designed to help owners cut through the noise and plan with confidence. Explore the library here

Stafffinders and sister company Kingpin International are strengthening their senior leadership teams with the return of two highly experienced recruitment professionals, Derek McCulloch and John Gaughan. Derek McCulloch returns as Associate Director with over 20 years of recruitment experience; Derek brings extensive industry knowledge, expertise, and a strong understanding of the recruitment landscape. His return marks an exciting addition to Kingpin International as the business continues to strengthen its specialist international tax recruitment offering. This is a great time for Kingpin as the demand for tax professionals is unmatched right now. Derek previously worked in a senior management capacity at Stafffinders for 10 years. John Gaughan also returns to Stafffinders, stepping into the role of Director. John originally joined Stafffinders 6 years ago as IT Divisional Manager and quickly demonstrated his expertise, leadership and commitment to the business. He progressed to Associate Director, taking responsibility for consultants across multiple divisions and playing an important role in the wider success of the company. John now returns as Director, bringing his experience and knowledge of the business into an expanded leadership role. The two appointments bring significant recruitment experience back into the wider Stafffinders business at an important time for the family-run recruitment company, which has been connecting businesses with talent for more than 55 years. The return of two former employees at senior level also reflects the long-standing relationships Stafffinders has built with its people, with both Derek and John bringing valuable experience gained throughout their careers back into the businesses. Since returning, both have settled seamlessly back into the wider team, with colleagues across Stafffinders and Kingpin International enjoying the opportunity to work together again, share expertise and build on those established relationships. Jane Wylie-Roberts, CEO of Stafffinders and Kingpin International, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Derek and John back to the businesses. Both bring a wealth of recruitment experience, but importantly, they also already understand our values, our people and the standards we expect." “Their commitment to delivering an outstanding level of service truly reflects the culture and values at the heart of our business - connecting growing organisations with exceptional talent, not only across Scotland but around the world.” “To see former colleagues choose to return and take on senior leadership positions is something we’re incredibly proud of. Their experience will be invaluable as we continue to develop Stafffinders and Kingpin International and look ahead to the next stage of growth.” Alongside investing in experienced people, Stafffinders and Kingpin International continue to lead the way in recruitment innovation. By embracing cutting-edge technology and specialist applications created in-house and not used by other recruitment agencies, both businesses are enhancing their recruitment processes, improving efficiency and creating a more seamless experience for clients and candidates. This forward-thinking approach, combined with decades of industry expertise, ensures both Stafffinders and Kingpin International are well-positioned to embrace the future of recruitment. With Derek joining Kingpin International and John strengthening the leadership team at Stafffinders, the appointments reinforce the group’s commitment to investing in experienced recruitment professionals and building on more than five decades of success.

One of Nottingham’s most inclusive choirs has received a financial boost from global packaging firm The Wilkins Group as part of the business’s commitment to local charitable organisations. Music for Everyone is a Nottingham-based charity with 19 adult and youth performing groups, providing inclusive choral and instrumental opportunities for more than 1,000 people. Now, it has added £1,000 to its funds thanks to the Wilkins Group’s ongoing charitable donation programme. Singing the praises of the business’s actions, Rachel Parkes, artistic director and choir leader, said: “We are delighted to receive this donation from The Wilkins Group. It will help us continue providing free choir sessions for our participants. Our groups welcome people of all abilities and needs. As our charity name suggests, we offer music for everyone.” The charity works with people of all ages and has around 500 regular members across its groups, as well as between 50 and 80 children participating in its youth orchestras, choirs and wind bands. The £1,000 donation will support the charity’s Open Voices groups, which promote singing for health and wellbeing. These free-to-attend sessions serve learning disabled adults and those living with dementia at locations across the county including Sherwood, Beeston, Ruddington, West Bridgford and Mansfield. Rachel said: “Choirs provide significant social benefits as well as having a therapeutic element. Music stimulates almost every area of the brain, strengthens connections and can support learning, memory and concentration. Of course, the sessions are also tremendous fun.” “Music can offer great benefits to people living with dementia, and our Open Voices groups are often the highlight of participants’ week. They also give carers a valuable break.” The charity was founded as the Nottingham Choral Trust by Angela Kay MBE in 1983. Its aim was to promote weekend choral courses and concerts for singers from all walks of life in the Nottingham area. Since then, the charity has grown significantly but has remained true to its principles. Its groups present a varied programme of concerts, including performances at Nottingham’s Albert Hall. The charity also runs its ‘Blow the Dust Off Your Instrument’ workshops for adults returning to music and raises funds through second-hand bookshops in Newark, Southwell and Hockley. Aron Wilkins, joint managing director of The Wilkins Group, said: “Music has a wonderful ability to lift spirits, create friendships and help people feel part of something. When we visited Music for Everyone and heard the choir sing, we were blown away by the power and harmony of their voices. It was a joy to see the happiness and sense of connection the group creates.” For the past two years, The Wilkins Group has donated £1,000 each month to a different local charity. The Colwick-based family business has contributed £10,000 so far in 2026, supporting organisations including Robin Hood Theatre Company, Nottingham Youth Orchestra, Carlton Operatic Society, Young Creatives Nottingham and St John the Baptist Primary Academy. The Wilkins Group is a family-run business which has grown from humble graphic design beginnings based in a rented building in Talbot Street, Nottingham, to a global firm. Remaining true to its founder’s ethos, it still has its UK headquarters in Nottingham, making it one of the East Midlands’ major employers, while also prioritising giving back to the community and workforce that has helped build the firm’s reputation and success. Dedicated to improving the environmental impact of industry, the business creates packaging designs and innovations that aim to reduce and ultimately eradicate single-use plastics within the industry. It is already leading the way in alternatives including the use of compostable materials and oven-safe board trays for food packaging. The Wilkins Group produces food packaging for brands including Pukka, Pizza Express, Harrods and Cadbury. It also is credited with producing bespoke and award-winning items such as eco-friendly coat hangers and the iconic M&S light-up glitter gin bottles. For more information on Music for Everyone visit here.

Their names rarely appear above the door or in the board minutes. But in many of the world's oldest family businesses, it is the matriarch who has kept the family – and the firm – from coming apart. Walk into the reception of almost any long-established family company and you will meet the founders first. They are there in oils or in sepia, gazing down from the wall: the grandfather who opened the first shop, the son who built the factory, the grandson who took it national. The corporate histories are written in their names, and so, usually, is the story the family tells about itself. Ask the same family a different question, though – who held everyone together when things went wrong? – and a different name tends to come back. Often it belongs to someone who never held a job title, never sat on the board and never signed off a set of accounts. She is the matriarch, and her influence over Britain's family firms is one of the least examined forces in business. It does not show up on the organisation chart. It is rarely written down. Yet for many families it has shaped who runs the company, what it stands for and whether it survives the passage from one generation to the next. The Power Behind The Boardroom The roles she plays are varied, and most are invisible from the outside. She is often the family's memory – the person who knows why the business was started, what was sacrificed to keep it going and what it was meant to stand for. In retelling those stories at the kitchen table, she passes on an identity that later generations absorb long before they ever set foot in the office. She is frequently the peacemaker. Family businesses are crowded with strong personalities and competing claims: siblings with different ambitions, in-laws with different loyalties, a generation impatient for change and another reluctant to let go. The matriarch is commonly the one who listens to each side, takes the heat out of an argument and keeps people talking when they would rather not. She is, in many cases, the most trusted adviser in the building – even when she is not in the building. Founders and chief executives have long leaned on the judgment of a wife or mother whose instincts they rate above anyone's. A decision that appears to have been reached around the boardroom table has often been tested first over supper. And she is frequently the quiet architect of succession. Matriarchs tend to see the next generation with unusual clarity: who has the talent, who has the hunger, who needs more time. Her view can decide who takes over, and how gracefully the old guard steps aside. Beyond the family, she is often the one who notices the long-serving employee going through a hard time, remembers the birthdays and keeps alive the sense of belonging that people inside family firms say sets them apart. From The Kitchen Table To The Chair For generations, that influence was exercised almost entirely in the background. Tradition, and, in plenty of families, the unspoken assumption that the business would pass to a son, kept capable women away from formal leadership, however much they contributed. That is changing. More women now lead British family companies as chair, chief executive or major shareholder, and a growing number of today's matriarchs combine the old role of family anchor with real executive power. Daughters are increasingly regarded as natural successors on merit, and the assumption of male inheritance that shaped so many family firms is fading fast. The shift matters for more than reasons of fairness. Influence that is formal can be exercised in the open, scrutinised and deliberately handed on. Values that a matriarch has always championed can be written into a family charter, reflected in board decisions and modelled in plain sight for the generation that follows. It also matters commercially. A family that considers every one of its members for leadership, regardless of gender, simply has a bigger pool of talent from which to choose its future. The Cost Of Looking Away Informal power has its strengths. But when it goes unacknowledged, it carries risks that families tend to discover only when it is too late. The first is accountability. When the big calls are shaped in private conversations, boards can find themselves rubber-stamping conclusions they never actually debated. Other family members, and the independent directors brought in precisely to provide challenge, can be left feeling like spectators. The second is what happens when she is gone. If the matriarch is the glue holding a family together, her death or illness can expose fault lines nobody knew were there. Rivalries she quietly kept in check can surface within months, and the family may realise it has no other way of settling its disputes. The third is fairness. Many matriarchs have given decades of unpaid work to the family business – keeping the books in the lean early years, entertaining clients, looking after staff. When that contribution is taken for granted, it can breed quiet resentment and, sometimes, genuine injustice in how ownership and rewards are eventually divided. And there is the toll on the woman herself. Cast as the permanent peacemaker, a matriarch can find herself pulled between children, siblings and in-laws, carrying an emotional load that no one person should be expected to bear. Building On Her Legacy None of this is an argument for diminishing her role. The task, rather, is to give it the structure and recognition it has long deserved. One answer is a family council, a forum, separate from the board, where questions of values, education and communication are thrashed out. Chairing or sitting on it gives the matriarch's influence an open, legitimate home rather than a backstage one. Another is to capture what she knows before it is lost. Recording the family's history, drawing up a family charter and involving her in mentoring the next generation turns private wisdom into something that can outlive any individual. Families also need to be honest about contribution. Where a matriarch has helped build the business, that should be reflected properly in ownership, reward and recognition – and talked about openly, not assumed. The burden of keeping the peace should be shared, too. Clear governance, regular family meetings and, where needed, independent facilitation all mean disagreements do not always land on the same pair of shoulders. And succession planning should cover the family roles as well as the corporate ones. Who will carry the values forward? Who will bring everyone together at Christmas, or after a falling-out? Those questions deserve as much thought as who will be the next chief executive. For families willing to look honestly at themselves, a handful of questions are a useful starting point. Who really holds influence among us, and is it recognised? Have the contributions of the women in our family, past and present, been properly acknowledged? Where are our most important decisions actually made? If our matriarch were no longer here, how would we resolve our disagreements? And do we consider every family member for leadership on merit alone? Where The Strength Lies Matriarchs have always been at the heart of family business. They have held families together, carried values across generations and shaped decisions for which history has too often credited someone else. Today, more of them are leading from the front, and that is worth celebrating. But whether her influence is felt in the boardroom or around the family table, the lesson for every family firm is the same: recognise it, value it and build the structures that will allow it to endure. The families that thrive over generations tend to be the ones that understand where their strength really lies. In a great many cases, it lies with her.

Audiology group The Hearing Clinic UK is strengthening its team across the North-West of England and Derbyshire in response to rising patient demand and continued investment in its English clinics. The Glasgow-based family-run firm, one of the UK’s leading independent hearing healthcare providers, has hired James Houlihan as a hearing aid audiologist to work across its Congleton and Poynton clinics in Cheshire, and Glossop store in Derbyshire. James has over twenty years’ experience in the health sector and will primarily be based at its award-winning Congleton Hearing Centre, which was acquired by the business earlier this year. He will support audiologist Anthony Berg, who founded the Congleton clinic, as the group responds to growing patient numbers across the three clinics following investment in its facilities and digital technology. James said: “I’m really pleased to be joining The Hearing Clinic UK at an exciting point in its growth. I’ve spent more than 20 years working in healthcare and have always been passionate about providing the best possible care and advice to patients." “The opportunity to work with an experienced team across three busy clinics was a real attraction for me and I’m looking forward to getting to know our patients across these areas.” Anthony Berg, who founded the Congleton Hearing Centre nearly two decades ago and works as an audiologist across the three clinics, said: “Since joining The Hearing Clinic UK, we’ve seen a real appetite for the level of personalised hearing care we provide in Congleton, and demand has continued to grow year-on-year here and in Poynton and Glossop." “Bringing James into the team gives us additional experience and capacity, while allowing us to maintain the time and attention we believe every patient deserves." “It’s particularly good to have another experienced audiologist on board, with James bringing a strong understanding of the latest hearing technology and how it can benefit patients.” The new hire comes after The Hearing Clinic UK enjoyed one of its most successful years on record, welcoming more than 7,000 patients across 2025. It employs nearly 40 people across Scotland and England and has cared for more than 50,000 patients across the UK. Chris Stone, Clinical Director at the company, added: “Our investment in our English clinics has already helped us reach more patients, and bringing James into the team is the next step in supporting that growth." “His experience will strengthen our clinical team across the North West and Derbyshire and give us the capacity to continue providing the personal, high-quality care that patients expect from The Hearing Clinic UK.”

Ask a family business owner what their company does and the answer comes easily. They make furniture, run hotels, farm the land, distribute food or build homes. Ask them why the business exists, and the answer often takes longer. Not because there is no answer, but because it has rarely been put into words. It lives in the founder's instincts, in stories told at family gatherings and in decisions that simply feel right or wrong. That unspoken sense of why is the purpose of the business. For many families it is the single most important thing they own, more precious than any asset on the balance sheet. Yet because it is so rarely defined, it is also one of the easiest things to lose. As businesses grow and pass from one generation to the next, an unwritten purpose can fade, fragment or be quietly replaced. Defining it clearly is one of the most valuable gifts one generation can leave the next. What Purpose Is, And What It Is Not Purpose is the enduring reason the business exists beyond making money. It answers the question: what difference do we want to make, and for whom? It is easily confused with other things. Purpose is not a mission statement. A mission describes what the business does and how. Purpose explains why it matters. Purpose is not a strategy. Strategies change with markets, technology and competition. Purpose should remain steady across decades, guiding which strategies are worth pursuing. Purpose is not profit. Profit is essential. Without it there is no business to pass on. But profit is the result of a purposeful business, not the reason for it. Purpose is not a slogan. Words on a wall mean nothing if they are not reflected in how the family and the business behave, particularly when choices are hard. In a family business, purpose often has two dimensions: what the business means to the world it serves, and what it means to the family that owns it. The strongest purposes weave the two together. Why Purpose Matters More in Family Firms It binds the family together. As families grow, shareholders multiply and fewer of them work in the business. What keeps a cousin in the third generation committed to an enterprise she has never worked in? Rarely the dividend alone. More often it is pride in what the business stands for. It guides difficult decisions. Should we sell? Should we accept outside investment? Should we close a loss making site that has employed local people for generations? A clearly defined purpose gives families a compass for these moments, helping them choose with confidence and consistency. It supports long term thinking. Family firms are often praised for thinking in generations rather than quarters. Purpose is what makes that possible. It provides a reason to invest patiently and resist short term temptations. It attracts and retains people. Employees, customers and partners increasingly want to know what a business believes in. Family firms with an authentic purpose have a powerful story to tell, and one that larger corporate rivals often struggle to match. It eases succession. When the purpose is clear, the next generation inherits not just shares but a sense of meaning and responsibility. They know what they are stewarding, and why it is worth carrying forward. How to Define Your Purpose Defining purpose is not an exercise in wordsmithing. It is a process of discovery, and the conversation matters as much as the conclusion. Look back. Start with the family's story. Why was the business founded? What problems did it solve? What were the moments the family is proudest of, and what lines would it never cross? The roots of purpose usually lie in history. Involve every generation. Purpose defined by the senior generation alone risks becoming a monument to the past. Bring in the next generation early. Their perspective will test what still holds true and help the purpose speak to the future. Listen beyond the family. Ask long serving employees, loyal customers and the local community what the business means to them. Their answers are often revealing and sometimes surprising. Find the common thread. Look for the themes that recur across every conversation. Purpose is rarely invented. More often it is uncovered. Put it into words. Keep it short, clear and honest. A good purpose statement should be simple enough for every employee to remember and meaningful enough for every family member to believe in. Test it. Ask whether it would genuinely help you make a hard decision. If it would not change anything you do, it is not yet a purpose. Keeping Purpose Alive A purpose that is defined once and filed away will quickly lose its power. It needs to be lived. Embed it in governance. Write the purpose into the family charter and refer to it in board discussions. When major decisions are made, ask openly how they serve it. Lead by example. Family members in leadership set the tone. When they make choices that visibly reflect the purpose, especially costly ones, people believe it. When they do not, people notice that too. Tell the story. Share the purpose through induction, internal communications, family gatherings and the way the business presents itself to the world. Stories are how purpose travels across generations. Revisit it with each generation. The core should remain constant, but the way it is expressed may need to evolve. Each new generation should have the chance to examine the purpose, challenge it and make it their own. Measure what matters. Alongside financial results, consider how you track the impact your purpose promises, whether on employees, customers, communities or the environment. Questions to Reflect On Could every member of our family explain why our business exists? Is our purpose written down, or does it live only in memory? When did our purpose last shape a difficult decision? Does the next generation feel ownership of our purpose, or just inherit it? Would our employees and customers recognise the purpose we describe? If the business were sold tomorrow, what would be lost that money could not replace? Every family business has a purpose, whether it has been named or not. The danger lies in leaving it unspoken, because what is never defined is easily forgotten. A clearly articulated purpose gives the family a reason to stay together, the business a compass for hard choices and the next generation a legacy worth inheriting. It turns ownership into stewardship. Markets will change, products will come and go, and leaders will pass the baton. Purpose is what remains. Define it, live it and pass it on.

EMR has been awarded the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Silver Award, joining 331 organisations across the UK recognised by the Ministry of Defence for their commitment to supporting the armed forces community. The award marks an important milestone in a journey that began when EMR signed the Armed Forces Covenant and achieved Bronze Award status in early 2025. At the time, it was a commitment to do more. To create opportunities for veterans, support reservists and build a workplace where military families could thrive. Just over a year later, the Silver Award recognises the progress made and the people who have made it possible. The Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Silver Award recognises employers that demonstrate genuine support for the armed forces community through their workplace culture, policies and leadership. For EMR, that commitment is reflected in practical action. The company actively recruits armed forces service leavers and veterans, supports reservists with the flexibility they need to balance service commitments alongside their civilian careers and works to ensure military families feel welcomed, valued and supported throughout their time with the business. The award also reflects something EMR has long understood: the qualities developed through military service help build stronger teams and a stronger business. Veterans and reservists bring a unique combination of resilience, adaptability and leadership. They know how to solve problems, work under pressure and keep moving forward when challenges arise. Those qualities are invaluable in a business built around finding opportunity in complexity. Across EMR, members of the armed forces community are helping turn today's materials into tomorrow's products, applying the skills developed through service to careers that continue to make a difference long after military life ends. Ian Sheppard, EMR UK & Europe CEO said: Achieving the Silver Award is something we're incredibly proud of, not because of the recognition itself, but because of what it represents." "When we signed the Armed Forces Covenant, we made a commitment to strengthen our support for the armed forces community and ensure veterans, reservists and military families could build rewarding careers at EMR. This award reflects the progress we've made, but it is also part of our broader commitment to building a diverse and inclusive workforce that values different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives." "Veterans and reservists make an important contribution to our business, bringing skills and qualities that help our teams succeed every day. This recognition belongs to the colleagues across EMR who have helped turn that commitment into action and create an environment where people can thrive." As EMR looks ahead, the focus remains unchanged: creating opportunities, removing barriers, celebrating our people and ensuring talented people from the armed forces community can build successful careers long after their service ends. The Silver Award marks an important milestone, but not the end of the journey. EMR remains committed to building a workplace where veterans, reservists and military families can thrive, bringing their skills, experience and leadership into an industry helping to power a more circular future. Because tomorrow's products depend on today's materials. And behind every one of those materials are people whose experience, determination and commitment help make progress possible.

JCB and a group of employees have dug deep to help transform a village playground where the company has its World Headquarters. The Rocester-based digger giant funded, project-managed and carried out work on a new JCB themed playground in High Street, Rocester - completing the entire makeover in just nine weeks. The playground was officially opened by JCB Chairman Lord Bamford along with project leader David Wheeldon’s six-year-old daughter Amelia, who helped cut the ribbon on the new £58,000 park. The striking new JCB yellow and black themed recreation area features slides, swings, climbing frames and a roundabout, refurbishing decades-old facilities which local parents said had seen better days. New sit-on springers, face-in-the-hole diggers and talking tubes have also been added. At the opening, Lord Bamford said: “This playground is a wonderful facility. It shows that marvellous things can be achieved when the community and our company come together. You have all created something very special for the community and you should all be very proud of your efforts.” He paid tribute to the JCB Site Services team, including Tim Needham, Mark James and Dan Thomas as well as employees from JCB’s Wardlow Quarry who volunteered their own time to bring the project to fruition. JCB supplier Mark Wareham’s AMW Services, Rocester Parish Council and nearby Cedar Nursery were also praised for their involvement and support. For JCB Site Services Mechanical Group Leader David, of Meir Park, Stoke-on-Trent, the project has special meaning. He said: “My dad, Terry, grew up in Rocester and remembers playing there when it was just wooden play equipment so it felt important to give something back. I also have two young children and I know that if they had a playground like this and lived in the village they would be visiting every weekend." “Transforming the playground has been a very special project for everyone. I’ve worked at JCB for 15 years and it’s been one of the best things I have been involved in because it’s been a real team effort. None of this would have been possible without the support of many, many people.” And not content with project managing the new venue for local families, David is keen to ensure it is maintained for the future, by arranging for JCB apprentices to do an annual maintenance check on the site. Photo: Pictured at the opening of the new Rocester village playground are, left to right, Thea (5) of Dove Academy, Rocester, JCB Chairman Lord Bamford, JCB Project Leader David Wheeldon and daughter Amelia (6) of Saint Filumena’s, Caverswall, Riley (10) and Bobby (10) both of Ryecroft Middle School, Rocester and Demi (5) of Dove Academy, Rocester.

Rathbones, one of the UK’s leading wealth and asset management groups, warns that the country cannot tax its way to prosperity and should instead focus on supporting business, investment and economic growth in the Budget. Rathbones argues that the UK cannot rely on further tax rises or short-term fiscal measures alone to improve public finances. In its new report, Building Prosperity, published, it says the sustainable route is stronger growth, supported by policies that give businesses and individuals the confidence to save, invest, expand and plan for the long term. Drawing on its experience of working with clients across the UK, including business owners, professionals, investors, charities and families, Rathbones warns that uncertainty and rising costs risk creating a generation of stagnation, without the enterprise and investment needed to strengthen the economy. Camilla Stowell, CEO, Wealth, at Rathbones, said: “The central challenge facing the Chancellor is how to restore sustainable growth; the answer cannot simply be to keep asking businesses and individuals to pay more. Economies need to grow out of high debt burdens, and that means backing the people, businesses and investment that create jobs, generate tax revenues and build prosperity across the country." “Our clients include business owners, professionals, investors and families whose ambition and success support businesses, organisations and communities throughout the UK. Many are ready to invest, expand and plan for the future, but they need stability, confidence and a policy environment that rewards enterprise rather than constrains it.” The group’s new analysis, Building Prosperity, examines five policy areas facing the Chancellor and argues that a stable, investment-led approach is needed to break the cycle of weak growth, rising debt and pressure for further tax increases. Among its recommendations are to: 1. Reform business taxation Improve business rates relief and move towards taxing commercial land rather than investment in buildings, while maintaining the current corporation tax and capital allowances regime and strengthening incentives for buildings, software and R&D. 2. Make devolution work for growth Treat increased local power as part of wider growth programme that will not deliver growth unless it works as one aspect of national prosperity. 3. Boost investment through the pension system Use pension capital to help promising UK firms scale and remain in Britain, while avoiding further measures that discourage pension saving and weaken long-term domestic investment. 4. Resist taxes on wealth Reject an annual wealth tax and avoid further capital gains tax rises without reforming the tax base, to protect investment incentives and those that invest for the long term. 5. Reinvigorate the housing market Reform Stamp Duty Land Tax to encourage housing mobility, potentially increasing transactions by 16%, supporting almost 11,000 additional homes a year and lifting GDP by around 0.2%. Stowell added: “As one of the UK’s leading wealth management groups, we see the contribution that businesses, investors and individuals make to communities and the wider economy. We urge the Chancellor to put growth and investment first, creating the conditions in which businesses can build, people can prosper and the country can meet its long-term commitments.” Adam Hoyes, Senior Asset Allocation Analyst at Rathbones and lead author of the analysis, said: “The UK’s fiscal challenge is fundamentally a growth challenge. With debt interest, defence, and an ageing population putting more pressure on public spending, increasing investment to drive productivity growth is the most sustainable way to strengthen the public finances." "Stable and sensible business taxes and regulation, better-directed pension capital, a more mobile housing market can all raise the economy’s productive capacity and grow the tax base, reducing the need for increases in tax rates to set the public finances back on the right track.”

A Derbyshire based bakery has announced the launch of a limited-edition Spiced Apple Crumble Slice, offering customers a distinctly British response to the pumpkin spice trend. As pumpkin spice flavours return to coffee shops and stores across the UK, Stacey’s Bakery has put its own twist on the seasonal craze by combining warming spices with the comforting flavours of a traditional apple crumble. The new bakery item starts with a lightly spiced sponge made with Stacey’s own blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and allspice. Tart apple chunks add moisture and balance the sweetness, while a buttery brown-sugar crumble completes the bake. David Stacey, managing director and a fourth-generation baker in the family run business, said: “We were inspired by the excitement around all things pumpkin spice and wanted to create our own take on it. Now that autumn has arrived, it felt like the perfect time to make something comforting and warming. And who doesn’t love a crumble." “We experimented with several cake mixes to get the spice level just right. We wanted it to be noticeable without being overpowering.” He added: “The apple gives the sponge a lovely tart note and keeps it moist, while the buttery brown-sugar crumble adds that familiar flavour people look forward to at this time of year." “We knew we were onto something special when the final recipe was baking in the oven. It just smells amazing and that follows through into the taste." “This isn’t a ‘look at me’ cake with fancy icing. It is simply a good, old-fashioned bake that really hits the spot - especially with a hot drink.” The limited-edition Spiced Apple Crumble Slice is now available from Stacey’s Bakery shops in Ilkeston, Eastwood and Heanor. Founded over a century ago, Stacey’s Bakery has become a staple of the high street with generations returning to enjoy the traditional favourites and newly introduced bakery items, which are still made by hand. Loyalty card holders will get a 10 percent discount on the cake for a limited time period. Customers should check the Stacey’s Bakery app for full details.