Latest news with #ProjectGenesis
Powys County Times
23-07-2025
- Business
- Powys County Times
Three farm-led businesses to be merged at Wynnstay Group
Three agricultural raw material businesses will be folded into a single unit at the Wynnstay Group. The Powys based Wynnstay Group Plc has announced the integration of the agricultural raw materials trading operations of its companies Wynnstay, Glasson Grain and GrainLink into a single trading unit. The new combined business "brings together the raw material and farm straights sales of Wynnstay led by Carwyn Worthington, the expertise of the trading team at Glasson Grain, led by Paul Hayton, and the knowledge of GrainLink's combinable crop trading team, led by Stuart Dolphin". Together the three businesses trade up to 1.5 million tonnes of feed raw materials per year and the companies have come together with the new combined operation will trade as GrainLink. 'This is a significant and exciting development for our respective trading operations,' said Stuart Dolphin, Trading Director at Wynnstay Group. 'Combining the strengths of Glasson, Wynnstay and GrainLink's trading teams will create a more effective business, better able to develop, grow and scale significantly over time.' The integration will enhance market coverage, improve procurement capabilities, and create a strong platform from which to take advantage of the growth opportunities that exist across the UK feed sector. 'We're very pleased to be joining forces with the GrainLink team,' said Paul Hayton, Head of Trading at Glasson Grain. 'This integration brings many benefits, including access to greater resources and a broader market footprint while, at the same time, we will maintain our existing strong relationships and high service levels that our customers rely on. 'We're excited about the opportunities ahead as a combined force in the market.' The integration is an important element in Wynnstay Group's three-year transformation initiative, Project Genesis, which aims to create a stronger, more efficient operating model, better capable of supporting the Group's long-term growth ambitions. The initiative is coupled with major investment programmes, which together 'support Wynnstay's desire to be the supplier of choice to UK farmers'. Help support trusted local news Sign up for a digital subscription now: As a digital subscriber you will get Unlimited access to the County Times website Advert-light access Reader rewards Full access to our app Alk Brand, CEO of Wynnstay Group Plc, said: 'This integration reflects our ambition to build a best-in-class agricultural raw materials trading operation, which can support the evolving needs of UK agriculture. 'By bringing together our three trading operations under a single brand, GrainLink, we believe that the combined business is better positioned to become a stronger, dynamic force in the market. 'The integration is an example of what we are aiming to do generally under Project Genesis – which is to make Wynnstay a stronger, fitter business, better able to support our customers and to evolve for long-term success.'
BBC News
10-07-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Shotley Bridge Hospital timeline hopes as work begins
There are hopes the building of a new hospital could start as early as 2027, after groundwork got under developer Project Genesis confirmed initial infrastructure had been put in at the site of Shotley Bridge Hospital in County Mike Clark said ground conditions would be tested over the coming months, with hopes further preparation work could be carried out from March to get the land ready for construction from 2027. County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust said it was "remobilising the team" and it aimed to provide a hospital over the next five years "subject to appropriate approvals". The start of the on-site works have helped to secure planning permission for the project before it expires, which has been in place since 2023."It's a really good step forward and it feels really good to get to that point," Mr Clark said. "People will see further planning equipment on the site over the next couple of months and that will be us making sure that we've got up to date knowledge of the ground conditions."Developers are hoping further work to create a new signalised junction on to the A692, as well as drainage, could start as early as next March. It is expected to take between nine and 12 months, Mr Clark said. "Once we've done that, we hand the site over to the hospital trust, hopefully in the beginning of 2027, and they can start with the foundation and build straight away," he added. The Derwent View site was identified as the most suitable for the new hospital in 2018. The 16-bed in-patient rehabilitation ward and urgent treatment centre would replace the current outdated facility. Earlier this year, Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced full construction was expected to begin within the next two years. The facility had been due to open this year but the project was plagued by delays and inflated costs."We have secured the funding, produced a realistic timetable, with spades in the ground for a new hospital site in Consett in 2026/7," he said Additional reporting by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Powys County Times
01-07-2025
- Business
- Powys County Times
Profits up at the Wynnnstay Group despite drop in revenue
Profits have risen at the Wynnstay Group despite falling commodity prices leading to a drop in revenue over the first half of this year A financial report for the company for the first six months of the financial year to April 30, the Wynnstay Group saw pre-tax profits rise to £5.5 million - from £4.4 million at the same point last year. It comes despite the Llansantffraid-based company seeing revenue decline, with the company pointing to 'reduced feed and grain trading activity, and lower commodity prices'. The increase in profit has been put down to the company's programme 'Project Genesis'. The project is a 'group-wide operational change programme', which is designed to create a more 'efficient operating model that will help to drive increased profitability and facilitate future growth plans'. According to the report 'early benefits are coming through, and we remain confident of the programme's potential to materially enhance Group performance.' Alk Brand, chief executive officer of Wynnstay Group Plc, said: 'The Group has delivered a strong recovery in the first half, with the improved profitability reflecting the benefits of our operational initiatives. 'The new management team is now in place and is delivering improvements, supported by a clear plan and strong leadership focus. 'Project Genesis is progressing well and, together with ongoing investments, supports our ambitions to create a stronger, fitter business, which provides our customers with the highest service levels and our shareholders with improved returns. 'Current trading is encouraging, and the Group remains well-positioned to achieve market expectations for the full year.' Help support trusted local news Sign up for a digital subscription now: As a digital subscriber you will get Unlimited access to the County Times website Advert-light access Reader rewards Full access to our app The company says 'farmgate prices remain supportive across most sectors, underpinning farmer sentiment despite ongoing uncertainties around some governmental support schemes'. The report added that the Wynnstay Group 'remains in a strong financial position, with a robust balance sheet and good cash flows, which supports our positive view of prospects'. It added that it 'is trading in line with full-year market expectations and should deliver a stronger overall performance for FY25 compared to FY24, as anticipated.'
CTV News
01-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
‘Every year is worse': Housing crisis reaches boiling point ahead of Quebec's moving day
A sign advertising an apartment for rent is shown on moving day in Montreal, Monday, July 1, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes As Montreal prepares for its traditional moving day, the housing crunch reached alarming new heights — with hundreds of households still searching for a roof over their heads and advocates calling for urgent action. 'We see a lot of people who are low income and very vulnerable tenants struggling to figure out how to pay rents,' said Gary Saxe, executive director of Project Genesis, a housing rights organization based in Côte-des-Neiges. 'And every year is getting worse as rents go higher and higher.' Saxe said rents have gone up 'astronomically' over the last few years — and it's not just a problem on July 1, but all year round. According to the City of Montreal, about 270 households remain without housing secured, including 35 who are expected to need emergency shelter on Tuesday. Saxe said the current crisis is a result of multiple factors that have compounded over several years, including consistent above-average rent hikes approved by Quebec's housing tribunal (TAL) and significantly low vacancy rates — especially in more affordable units. 'It's a structural problem, and it's forcing people to hold onto whatever apartment they can, because they know they won't find anything else they can afford,' he said. A recent report from Statistics Canada showed asking rents in Montreal have risen nearly 71 per cent since 2019. The city's vacancy rate in 2024 sat at just 1.5 per cent, and competition for lower-priced apartments remains fierce. For Montrealer Egor Matveev, the search for housing came at the worst possible time. Matveev and his girlfriend had just moved into a one-bedroom apartment in St-Henri in early June, after three years of long-distance dating. The move marked the beginning of a new chapter: he was moving into his first apartment, she had relocated from Ontario, they'd packed a U-Haul, and their move-in date fell just before their anniversary on Fête nationale. But on the weekend of June 14, while they were out of town, they got a call from a friend: their apartment building had caught fire. 'When we saw videos of the fire, my girlfriend started crying, and I was really emotional too,' Matveev said. 'It was terrible to see just how big the fire was.' The roof of the building's top floor — where their apartment was — had collapsed. 'Everything we had in there was effectively gone,' Matveev told CTV News. Still, he considered himself 'one of the lucky ones,' with a stable job, temporary housing arrangement at his mother's home, and insurance that helped cover the cost of an Airbnb. Finding a new place, he said, was nonetheless gruelling. The couple visited around 30 apartments before finally signing a lease just days ago for a unit in Verdun. He said several listings were snatched up quickly, but what struck him most was the lack of support from the city. 'It's a tragedy the way our cities — all over the country — deal with housing,' Matveev said. 'The kind of rules they set up, the way land is allocated, and the way housing is built — there are so many barriers, and they cave to pressure not to build what's needed like social housing like social ones.' In response to the growing housing crisis, the City of Montreal has urged anyone in need to call 311 to be connected with available resources. Projet Montréal promises new measures At a press conference Monday, Luc Rabouin, leader of Projet Montréal said the party is proposing a $100-million guarantee fund aimed at helping non-profits purchase rental buildings and preserve affordability. 'We will guarantee from 10 to 15 per cent of the amount of the banking loan to be sure [these organizations] receive the money they need,' he said. Rabouin estimates this could protect up to 5,000 affordable housing units from rent hikes. The party also wants the Office municipal d'habitation de Montréal (OMHM) to intervene more quickly in eviction cases and proactively reach out to displaced tenants. But housing advocates like Saxe warned that those efforts, while welcome, are not enough. 'What's really needed — the real solution — is investment in social housing,' he said. 'It's the only way to give people who can't afford market rents a chance to live in dignity and in decent conditions.' For now, he added, the situation is likely to keep getting worse unless bold action is taken. 'We're going to see that continue unless two things happen: Quebec changes the way that the TAL calculates rent increases,' Saxe said. 'And, again, that more social housing comes.'
CTV News
15-06-2025
- General
- CTV News
‘We're seeing desperation': Tenant advocates brace for housing crisis around moving day
With moving day approaching, community organizations say rising rents, renovictions, and a lack of affordable housing are pushing more people to the brink. With July 1 just weeks away, some housing advocates are sounding the alarm over what they call a deepening crisis. Community groups like Project Genesis say they're already overwhelmed by the number of people unable to find a place to live, many of them at risk of homelessness. Rising rents, renovictions, and limited access to affordable housing are pushing vulnerable tenants to the brink. 'We're seeing desperation,' said Margaret van Nooten, a social rights worker at Project Genesis. 'People are afraid to move, but others have no choice — and many just can't find anywhere to go.' A 72-year-old Montreal man says he may be forced to sleep outdoors in the coming days. Richard Duncan has been renting a room in a Verdun apartment for six years. But when the building was sold, his name wasn't on the lease, and his roommate accepted a buyout from the landlord. Duncan, who is retired and on a fixed income, was left with nothing. 'I was given three months' notice,' he said. 'The new owner paid people to leave. [The leaseholder] took the money, and now I'm stuck.' His search for new housing has been difficult —and with no cellphone or internet, Duncan says even accessing listings is a struggle. 'I have to do everything myself and I don't have the needed resources,' he said. 'It's been a stressful three months.' Duncan's situation is far from unique, according to van Nooten, who says her office has seen an increase in people unable to secure housing — even those with jobs or stable incomes. 'The housing situation overall — it's terrible. It's been a really difficult year for tenants,' she said. 'We're seeing people getting hit with massive rent increases — five, even 10 per cent in some cases and people just can't keep up.' Project Genesis has cautioned renters not to break their lease unless they've already secured another apartment. But some, like Duncan, are being forced out — either through repossessions, renovictions, or pressure tactics. 'We're seeing landlords managing to get long-term tenants out — sometimes by offering a few thousand dollars to leave, sometimes by threatening renovations that may or may not happen,' she said. 'They know they can double or triple the rent if they turn the unit over.' Those unable to find housing in time are increasingly doubling up with family or strangers. 'We see three generations in one apartment, people living in overcrowded, sometimes unsafe conditions,' explained van Nooten. 'Rooms being carved out of living rooms. It's not sustainable.' In Montreal's overheated market, she said even being able to pay doesn't guarantee an apartment. 'There are bidding wars — people get to a showing and find someone else offering the landlord more than the asking price,' said van Nooten. Credit checks, references, and online-only listings present additional barriers — particularly for people without access to internet, phones, or email. 'And the city's platform to search for housing still requires internet access, a certain level of digital know-how and assumes literacy," she added. 'If you're a single person on welfare and your cheque is around $800, you likely can't afford a phone plan or home internet.' Discrimination is another factor, she said, with families, racialized tenants, and those with disabilities often passed over. 'I had a woman with an autistic daughter who was repeatedly rejected for housing — the landlord just didn't want a child with special needs.' The Office municipal d'habitation de Montréal's (OMHM), the city's municipal housing office, has already received more than 600 requests for help this year. The annual average is just over 900. Duncan is hoping his application will be among those accepted. 'I'm just looking for somewhere to lay my head down at night and not worry,' he said. 'If I don't find it, I'll end up sleeping in a park very soon.' In a statement to CTV News, Loyola district councillor Despina Sourias, who serves as a special advisor on housing at Montreal's executive committee, said the administration is aware this moving season will be particularly difficult. 'That's why our administration is continuing to invest more resources to support vulnerable households,' she said. 'We've doubled the budget dedicated to relocation support and created a new $1.5 million envelope over three years to strengthen housing committees and tenant associations — essential allies in protecting renters.' Sourias added that the city is working actively with partners to ensure no one is left behind. 'We want every household to know they're not alone and that there are real resources available to help them through this.' But van Nooten said housing groups are already overwhelmed. 'Staff are exhausted. We're hearing from organizations across the city that they've had to shorten their [opening] hours and still can't keep up with the number of requests,' she said, calling it a cry for help. She said what's needed most is more social housing — and fast. 'The private market is ruled by greed. It's not meeting this most basic need,' she added. 'We need more subsidized units, more practical help for people trying to find housing, and better protections for tenants.' For now, Duncan continues to wait — without a safety net.
