Cambridgeshire Business News

20 November 2009

Cambridge coach operator wins prestigious excellence award

Richmond’s Coaches, based near Cambridge, have been recognised for their overall excellence at the annual RouteOne Operator Excellence Awards.

[Pictured left to right: Mike Morgan, Editor of RouteOne, Andrew Richmond, managing director Richmond’s Coaches, Phillip Hodgson, managing director of the sponsors, King Long Coaches.]

Being one of 5 nominees in the medium coach operator of the year category for fleets of 11-30 vehicles, the 25-strong fleet (all low emission) has been honoured with a Highly Commended Award.

In addition, Richmond’s Coaches managing director Andrew Richmond has been awarded the much coveted national title of Coach Manager of the Year Award.

Presented at an Oscars-style glittering evening at the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham, co-hosted by BBC Sports presenter John Inverdale, recipients were unaware of who would lift the prestigious awards until the gold envelopes were opened.

The success follows a rigorous process that started with nominations from the industry. This was followed by shortlisting by a panel of judges who then called for submission of detailed supporting evidence so that they could make their final decisions.

The awards are recognition of the customer service given by the whole team of staff at Richmond’s which is now being managed by the third generation since the founding in 1946 by Andrew’s grandfather, Harold Richmond.

Andrew Richmond said: “I was surprised, but delighted to receive this award. Our team work hard all year to ensure that we turn out an immaculate fleet of coaches, with professional drivers whose primary focus is on the care of our customers. I am proud to share these awards with our staff to recognise their input into our success.”

Looking to the future, amongst the additions to the fleet this year was a 79-seater executive double-deck coach which is wheelchair accessible.

Contact:

Rick Ellis
Richmond’s Coaches
The Garage, Barley,
Royston, Herts
SG8 8JA

Telephone: 01763 848226
E-mail: rick@richmonds-coaches.co.uk
Web: www.richmonds-coaches.co.uk

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CAMBRIDGESHIRE

Location and communications

Cambridgeshire stretches fifty miles from the counties abutting London in the south almost to the Wash, forming the part of the western edge of the East of England region.

The famous university town of Cambridge is just 54 miles from London on the M11, and Huntingdon on the A1 only 62 miles.

The county is conveniently placed for both the transport of goods to Europe via the east coast ports and for travel to all parts of Britain; and via London’s airports, for business travel to Europe and the rest of the world.

Major road and rail routes link this part of the region to London, Harwich, Felixstowe, the Midlands and the North. Heathrow and Gatwick are readily accessible via the M25 and Stansted, London’s rapidly expanding third airport, is less than 30 minutes' drive on the M11 from Cambridge. Most of the county's trunk road system is motorway or dual carriageway standard.

Two intercity rail lines from London run through the county. There are some 80 trains each way every weekday between Cambridge and King's Cross and Victoria Stations in London. Journey times are about one hour on the direct trains. Ely is on the Cambridge line and St. Neots and Huntingdon on the East Coast main line.

Quality of life

Cambridgeshire is a pleasant area in which to live and work.

Historic Cambridge with its ancient University buildings has been carefully preserved and surrounded by a Green Belt. The other main towns, each with their own shopping and leisure facilities are St. Neots, Huntingdon, Wisbech, March and Ely. Outside these market towns is a county of waterways and rich farmland dotted with large and small villages.

Popular attractions include:

* Duxford Air Museum
* Ely Cathedral
* Ouse Washes
* Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge
* Octavia Hill Birth Place Museum, Wisbech

Prospects for growth

Cambridgeshire is one of the fastest-growing counties in Britain.

Between 1991 and 2001 its population increased by 9% due in particular to growth around Cambridge and in Huntingdonshire. Over the same period the number of jobs increased by 21%.

The largest employment centre is Cambridge with around 95,000 jobs.

Because of its relativity young population, the county is assured of a good supply of labour throughout the decade and beyond. Between 2005 and 2010 the number of jobs in the county is forecast to grow by 7%. (Source: Experian BSL)

Cambridgeshire benefits from a diverse range of manufacturing industries with a strong emphasis on modern sectors. Around 14% of the workforce is employed in manufacturing and production, 84% in services and construction and 2% in agriculture. The main business sectors are:

* mechanical engineering
* electrical and electronic engineering
* food and drink manufacture
* paper products
* printing and publishing
* research and development

Education and training

The world-famous University of Cambridge has around 17,500 students - of which 30% are postgraduates - providing a steady supply of high-quality recruits for businesses.

To complement its science and engineering expertise there is also a Business School. In addition, there is the Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge and colleges of further education in Cambridge, Huntingdon and Wisbech. These offer a wide range of GCSE, NVQ and other vocational courses.

Cambridge Regional College, with around 15,400 students, also provides degree level and tailor-made courses for businesses in the area.

Cambridgeshire secondary schools have a high reputation and together with several public schools, provide 11-16/18 education.

Research and development

A feature of the Cambridgeshire economy, which has been widely noted as The Cambridge Phenomenon, is the growth of high technology firms in the county.

These now employ 43,000 people primarily in or near Cambridge. Both the Huntingdon and Ely areas are developing as high tech centres.

Research & Development firms account for over 20% of the county's high tech jobs. The largest concentrations are at the Cambridge Science Park, St. John's Innovation Park and Granta Park near Cambridge.

High-tech and R&D firms throughout the county benefit from the considerable amount of high level research undertaken at Cambridge University.

The Research Group at Cambridgeshire County Council also produce a wealth of information on the economy of Cambridgeshire.

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THE EDITOR

The Editor of Cambridgeshire Business News is Murdoch MacDonald, a graduate of Magdalene College, Cambridge University, where his journalistic contemporaries included John Simpson, now World Affairs Editor with the BBC, and Alan Rusbridger, Editor of the Guardian.

Murdoch MacDonald has been in the public relations industry and a freelance journalist and broadcaster for 35 years.He has handled the PR accounts of many leading blue chip companies, including Royal Bank of Scotland, Standard Life, John Menzies, Kwik-Fit and Barratt Homes.

He has hosted his own family finance programmes - £s, Pence and Sense on independent local radio and Moneywise on ITV.

He now runs top PR consultancy Fame Publicity Services. Wherever you are in the world, no other public relations consultancy, PR firm or publicity company can offer you a better or more cost-effective worldwide news distribution service, combined with search engine optimisation techniques that will drive customers and qualified sales leads to your company's website.

Telephone: 01292 281498
E-mail: murdoch@CambridgeshireBusinessNews.com

Murdoch and his wife Lilian (pictured above) have written a book called Phoenix in a Bottle, describing how they overcame alcoholism and are now, contrary to conventional wisdom, able to drink alcohol responsibly again.

Phoenix in a Bottle is published by Melrose Books price £16.99 and is now available worldwide.

Reviewing the book, eminent American addiction expert Dr Stanton Peele PhD commented:

“Phoenix in a Bottle is a modern version of The Days of Wine and Roses, and tells the true story of how two people who entered a period of desperate drinking stayed with one another in a close loving relationship, and emerged from their alcoholism able to drink responsibly again.

“Both a wonderful love story and a challenge to conventional wisdom about how people can recover from drinking problems, Phoenix in a Bottle gives people hope, and helps them to confront their own demons - alcohol or otherwise.”

And now Phoenix in a Bottle has been selected as a set text by a top American university.

Phoenix in a Bottle by Lilian and Murdoch MacDonald will now be required reading for all doctoral students in a psychology programme at Alliant International University in San Diego, California.

Alliant International University, headquartered in San Diego and San Francisco, California, was formed in 2001 by the merger of the California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP) and the United States International University.

Alliant has 6 campuses throughout California and also runs programmes in Mexico City, Hong Kong and Tokyo. The California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant is one of the premier psychology schools in the US, and it counts roughly half the licensed clinical psychologists in California as its alumni.

Dr. Gary W. Lawson is Professor of Psychology at CSPP. He says: “I adopted Phoenix in a Bottle because the dilemma this couple struggled with and the questions they ask themselves are like so many others I have encountered in 35 years of clinical experience treating addictions.

“However, nowhere in addiction literature have I seen these issues examined and explained as well as Lilian and Murdoch do in Phoenix in a Bottle.

“I also recommend Phoenix in a Bottle to many of my patients as well.”

You can buy Phoenix in a Bottle by Lilian and Murdoch MacDonald online now direct from the publishers Melrose Books for immediate delivery or from Amazon UK (click on book cover image below) or through all good bookshops and online stores.