TalkTalk and Sellafield pledge support for the Great Northern Conference

TalkTalk and Sellafield have joined the impressive list of sponsors who have pledged their support for the conference, which will act as a sounding board for the North of England as it prepares for the post-Brexit world.

The Great Northern Conference will include speeches from leading politicians and informed debate about topics ranging from education to transport. The online event, which is due to be held on October 22, will also make the case for additional investment across the North of England.

Jonathan Kini, the Managing Director of TalkTalk Business, said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every corner of UK society.

"As we look to an uncertain winter, it’s essential that we reboot the UK economy – not just to what we had before, but to something better – with more opportunity and that’s more accessible.

"For those towns and cities in the North East and the North West which are under varying forms of lockdown, this will feel more important than ever.

He added: “How has lockdown changed Britain? One thing is certain. Homeworking has made many of us more productive. Many businesses are switching to high speed internet services as they moved online and found new ways of working.

“It’s not the first time that digital has spurred a recovery for businesses and communities in the North. After the 2008 recession, the recovery was led by the digital sector which had above average growth and helped the wider economy to bounce back.

"We’ve seen this here, with the huge growth of digital ecosystems in Manchester, Newcastle and Leeds. At TalkTalk we’re proud to be at the heart of a thriving media scene around Salford.

“So the time has come for our digital infrastructure to be supercharged once more, so businesses and consumers can benefit from the new ways of working.

“This means building new networks and making sure everyone has affordable access to fast and reliable broadband. We need to make sure that “levelling up” isn’t just a phrase, or a few roads and bridges – but connects directly into all our homes and businesses, wherever we are based. The opportunity is huge – and our region can be the one to win the digital prize.”

Jamie Reed, head of corporate affairs at Sellafield Ltd, said the “white heat of technology” had delivered the world’s first commercial scale nuclear power station, which is based in Cumbria.

He added: “The dreams of our original nuclear pioneers didn’t all come true. But they did leave us a vital legacy. That was a commitment to high quality skills, jobs, and opportunities for our community.

“And we’re continuing to deliver that promise. We have 100 years’ worth of work left at Sellafield. Decommissioning our site and managing nuclear waste is a hi-tech, nationally important cutting edge industry. It combines project management, science, technology, environmental remediation, communications, cyber security – you name it. To complete it we need a pipeline of local talent.

“That’s why we’ve made education the cornerstone of our new social impact strategy. We’ve called it Six: Social Impact Multiplied. Because community improvement is a team effort.

“It follows a golden thread through Government policy, regional strategy and local plans, to community needs.

“Our flagship education initiative: WELL (short for Western Excellence in Learning and Leadership) is a great example, involving every school in West Cumbria. It embraces the Government’s levelling-up agenda with a laser-focus on closing the education attainment gap.

“It’s an initial investment of £1.7m that will fund a range of interventions developed by local experts who know our community and understand its needs. “These are evidence-based solutions, closely measured to ensure that they are working effectively.

Mr Reed added: “The plan has three pillars: raising standards; closing the gap; and personal wellbeing. Interventions include: upskilling teachers; addressing speech, language, and behaviour issues; improving attendance; supporting cultural education; and providing mental health support.

“These interventions, across more than 100 schools, are based upon one core mission: breaking the link between socio-economic disadvantage and educational attainment.

“We’re aiming high. We want to improve standards in every classroom in West Cumbria.“It’s an ambitious programme but it’s what our community deserves.

“Join us at the Great Northern Conference 2020 to find out how we’re doing.”

The Northern Powerhouse Partnership and JPIMedia are joining forces again to continue the debate on how best to grow the economy and develop opportunities in a sustainable and meaningful way across the North of England.

The event follows the stunning success of the inaugural Great Northern Conference in 2019, which was staged in Leeds and attracted speakers from the worlds of religion and commerce.

The speakers at this year’s online conference will include Dan Jarvis, the Mayor of Sheffield City Region.

To book tickets please visit: https://www.greatnorthernpowerhouse.co.uk

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Thank you

James Mitchinson