News

The Royal Borough of Greenwich has secured £5.8 million in government funding to help residents who face barriers to employment find and sustain meaningful work. The funding will support the launch of Connect to Work, a new voluntary programme designed to provide up to 12 months of tailored, one-to-one vocational support for people who are unemployed or at risk of losing their job. Delivered by Greenwich Local Labour and Business (GLLaB), the council’s employment and...

The government has announced up to £50 million in new funding to accelerate research into mental health treatments and technologies, marking one of the largest single public investments in the field. Unveiled to coincide with World Mental Health Day, the initiative aims to put people with lived experience of mental health problems “at the heart” of scientific innovation — shaping how future therapies and medicines are developed. The new funding forms part of the government’s...

Pete Mills, founder and chief executive of Crysp Ltd, has been named a ‘One to Watch’ in the prestigious LDC Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders 2025, following a year of exceptional growth and innovation for the Bradford-based technology firm. The annual list, compiled by LDC, the private equity arm of Lloyds Banking Group, in partnership with The Times, celebrates the UK’s most dynamic entrepreneurs and high-growth business leaders. The ‘Ones to Watch’ category highlights...

The LDC Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders 2025 has unveiled its new cohort of the UK’s most dynamic and visionary entrepreneurs, marking the eighth year of the national awards programme that celebrates the country’s growth champions. Created by LDC, the private equity arm of Lloyds Banking Group, in partnership with The Times, the programme recognises the founders and chief executives behind Britain’s fastest-growing and most innovative medium-sized businesses. This year’s Top 50 were chosen...

Pub landlords and hospitality chiefs have dismissed Sir Keir Starmer’s plan to allow pubs to stay open later, branding the idea “a complete waste of time” amid warnings that extended trading hours will only increase costs and staffing pressures. The Prime Minister unveiled the proposal on Wednesday as part of a fast-track review of licensing laws, aimed at boosting footfall and cutting red tape for the struggling hospitality sector. He said the move would “allow...

A new study based on Google search data reveals that Manchester recorded the highest fitness event–related search interest in the UK. The research by global sports insights platform Smart Betting Guide analysed monthly Google search volumes for fitness event–related terms, including “Hyrox UK,” “Hyrox London,” “Hyrox Manchester 2025,” “Hyrox tickets UK,” “Spartan Race London,” “Spartan Race UK,” and “fitness competitions UK” across 50 UK cities. The search volumes were then compared against 2025 population figures...