
Female-led aerospace sewing firm in Somerset is expanding
"We started off with literally two women and a couple of old sewing machines," Ms Champion said. "It feels surreal knowing how much we've grown. We've made amazing steps into the aviation industry from such small, humble beginnings."It's definitely a male-orientated industry, but that is changing and I think you really have to believe in your team, be it male or female," she added.Ms Champion said while industrial sewing is not the most attractive job, there is "creativity" in it.
Managing director of Boeing Defence UK, Steve Burnell, said partnering with small organisations was part of the company's ethos."They make us a product that fits out the cabin and makes it quieter and more comfortable," he said."If you look at the South West alone, we have well over 90 suppliers and partners and half of those are smaller enterprises. "You can't grow unless you are bringing early-career people into the industry and giving them the skills they need to grow."
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Sun
24 minutes ago
- The Sun
Kilted King Charles radiates joy in Scotland as he helps mark anniversaries relating to UK's nuclear industry
UP & ATOM Charles met the crew of the Pacific Heron, a second-generation purpose-built nuclear transport vessel THE kilted King radiates joy at a reception as he helps mark several anniversaries relating to the UK's nuclear industry. He unveiled a plaque in Caithness, northern Scotland, yesterday commemorating 70 years of the Dounreay nuclear facility. 4 4 Charles met the crew of the Pacific Heron, a second-generation purpose-built nuclear transport vessel. Charles also met local sea cadets and Royal National Lifeboat Institution volunteers from the area. The unveiling on Jubilee Pier came ahead of a reception in the nearby Fish Market Hall. The King will later spend time meeting staff from the nuclear industry and local community members from Thurso. The visit was hosted by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to mark the 70th anniversary of the Dounreay Nuclear site, the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited (PNTL) company, and the 20th anniversary of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. Earlier this month the King stunned staff after popping into a luxury vegan chocolate shop during a recent trip to Scotland. Charles visited Campbelltown, in Argyll and Bute, while he was on a Royal tour north of the border. He visited different parts of the county over several days as part of the annual Holyrood Week, also known as 'Royal Week', which celebrates Scottish culture and local communities. More than a thousand people stood behind crash barriers to see the Monarch as he toured the town on July 3. He wore his own King Charles III tartan kilt especially for the visit, as he stopped by a number of shops in the area. And one place the King decided to pop into was Fetcha Chocolates - a store which specialises in vegan confectionery. King Charles visits luxury vegan chocolate shop in Scotland 4


The Sun
24 minutes ago
- The Sun
Fifty thousand businesses on brink of collapse over ‘immense strain' of rising wage costs
FIFTY thousand businesses are on the brink of collapse as rising wage costs put them under 'immense strain', a report reveals. The number in critical financial distress has risen by more than a fifth compared with a year ago. 2 Chancellor Rachel Reeves' increases in National Insurance costs and the minimum wage are seen as key reasons, the Begbies Traynor survey shows. Bars and restaurants at 'critical' financial level were up by 41 per cent. And there was a 39 per cent rise among travel and tourism companies. The total number hit 49,309. Those in 'significant' financial distress increased by ten per cent over the year to 666,876. Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride said: 'Labour's reckless Jobs Tax is pushing thousands of small businesses to the brink. "The lifeblood of local communities are paying the price.' Ric Traynor, of Begbies Traynor, said: 'Small and medium-sized businesses across the UK are being put under immense strain by the recent increases to employer's NI and the national minimum wage.' The British Beer and Pub Association warned 378 pubs would close this year in England, Wales and Scotland. The BBPA's Emma McClarkin said: 'We're calling on government to fulfil promises of business rates reform, mitigate costs and cut beer duty.' 2


Daily Mail
27 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Trump's $400 million 'flying palace' gift from Qatar moves forward after 'bribe' backlash
The Pentagon and the Qatari government are close to finalizing the deal that will turn a $400 million 'flying palace' into President Donald Trump 's next Air Force One. CNN reported Monday on the language used in the agreement between Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his Qatari counterpart, which could still be tweaked ahead of a formal announcement. The transfer of the lavish Boeing 747-8 is being labeled an 'unconditional donation.' 'This donation is made in good faith and in the spirit of cooperation and mutual support between the parties,' the document said. 'Nothing in this MoU is, or shall be interpreted or construed as, an offer, promise, or acceptance of any form of bribery, undue influence, or corrupt practice.' Democrats - and even some Republicans - raised objections when the White House announced in May that the Qataris would be gifting the plane to the Americans, so that Trump could get a new Air Force One before the end of his second term. Eyebrows were further raised when it was announced that the plane would follow Trump to his presidential library after his term was done. Trump took time in mid-February to tour the Qatari aircraft, which was parked at the West Palm Beach airport, several miles down the road from Mar-a-Lago. Ahead of his trip to the Middle East in mid-May, which included a stop in Doha, Qatar, the framework for the deal became public. After the trip, the Americans officially accepted the gift. The initial agreement was signed by Hegseth and Qatar's deputy prime minister and minister of state for defense affairs, Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani on July 7. It's unclear when the final agreement will be signed off on. A Pentagon spokesperson told the Daily Mail on Monday, 'We have nothing to share on this.' The plane is currently sitting in San Antonio, Texas. The aircraft comes to the Defense Department 'as is,' meaning U.S. taxpayers will be paying for the upgrades needed to turn the 'flying palace' into a flying Situation Room. Hegseth has tried to keep the pricetag of the project quiet. During a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing in June, the Pentagon chief irritated Democratic Sen. Jack Reed by testifying that the timeline and the price of the project needed to remain classified. Hegseth justified the secrecy by saying it would 'ensure the safety and the security of the president of the United States.' The Department of Justice also hasn't released the memo, penned by Attorney General Pam Bondi, that outlines the legal justification allowing the Trump administration to accept the gift from the Qatari government. On Monday, the government transparency group, the Freedom of Press Foundation filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit to get access to that document. Bondi's memo reportedly argues that the Qatari donation is legally sound as long as the plane goes to Trump's presidential library at the end of his term. Trump is expected to build a presidential library in Florida, after changing his residency from his native New York to the Sunshine State in 2019. Early in his first term, the president negotiated the price of two new Boeing planes that would be used as Air Force Ones, but the project has been hampered by delays and cost overruns. Trump also designed a color scheme to mimic the one on his 'Trump Force One' private plane. When President Joe Biden came into office, he chose to maintain the traditional Kennedy-era color scheme on the new Air Force Ones. The president told the Daily Mail in February that 'no matter what' his new Air Force One would have his preferred color scheme.