Movers and shakers

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The National Trust’s new assistant director for the North of England says he will champion nature, farming, tourism and cultural heritage.

Jeremy Barlow

, who will be in charge of operations in Cumbria, said this was in response to the challenges facing the 120-year-old charity in the county. Mr Barlow, who took up the post this month, has been with the trust for 18 years.

Story Homes has announced that its chief executive Steve Errington has stepped down and chairman Fred Story will now lead the company.

Mr Story, who founded the business, said his return as chief executive will allow the firm to stay focused.

Mr Errington joined Story as group finance and business support director in August 2012 from housebuilders Taylor Wimpey.

The company said: “Mr Story will now lead the business through its next stage of development which will focus on operational efficiency.”

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Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership has appointed a new chief executive. Jo Lappin will lead the county’s strategic economic body from Graham Haywood, who left at the end of April after three years at the helm.

Ms Lappin was previously chief executive of Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership, where she developed a strategic economic plan for the county that the Government described as “one of the best”.

She also oversaw significant performance improvements in business and innovation, employment and skills, and infrastructure.

Ms Lappin also successfully delivered three government pilot projects including Enterprise Advisors, which was rolled out nationally.

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Stephen Henwood has been appointed the new chairman of the partnership that won UNESCO World Heritage Site status for the Lake District National Park.

He succeeds Lord Clark of Windermere as head of the Lake District National Park Partnership, which is made up of 25 organisations.

Mr Henwood, who lives in Hawkshead, joins the group following nine years as chairman of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, as well as four years as chairman of the board of the University of Cumbria.

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Wates Group, one of the UK’s leading family-owned construction, development and property services companies, has appointed David Allen to take charge.

With Costain and Morgan Sindall, Wates is one of three construction giants appointed to overhaul BAE Systems’ Barrow facilities, as construction of the Dreadnought boats gets under way.

The firm is also behind a number of other construction projects in West Cumbria.

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Two new directors have been appointed at West Cumbrian solicitors HFT Gough & Co.

Suzanne Roberts and Michelle Holliday , who were previously associates, began their careers with the company as trainee solicitors.

The law firm has offices in Whitehaven and Workington. Meanwhile, HFT Gough & Co’s Michaela Peet has recently qualified as a solicitor.

She completed her law degree at Sheffield University in 2012 and then her legal practice course at Northumbria University in 2013.

Journalist Nick Turner and social media specialist Helen Statham have joined forces to set up a new PR agency.

Intro, based at the Business Interaction Centre in Carlisle, has already been working with local and national companies including Vets Now, Whitley Neill Gin, Tsingtao beer, the Cumberland Building Society and the Crown & Mitre Hotel.

A new managing director has been appointed at Cumbrian training firm Gen2.

Paul Storey will replace Mike Smith OBE, who has taken up a new role with Gen2’s parent company the City & Guilds Group, prior to his retirement in September.

Mr Storey was Gen2’s chief operating officer and has already spent over 10 years in an executive role within the organisation.

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Kristina Gash has won a promotion to the newly created computer services manager role at one of Cumbria’s leading businesses.

She will manage the implementation of cloud accounting software into clients’ businesses, leading a 30-strong cloud accounting team at chartered accountants and business advisers, Dodd & Co.

Ravenglass farmer Alistair Mackintosh , of Muncaster Home Farm, has been elected as the NFU North West’s Regional Management Board chairman.

Mr Mackintosh is NFU Council delegate for Cumbria, and he has also held the positions of national NFU Livestock Board chairman and NFU Cumbria County chairman.

Outside of the NFU he is chairman of the Red Tractor Beef and Lamb Board, sits on the Assured Food Standards Board, is a parish councillor and a member of several show committees.

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The chief executive of H&H Group is stepping down after 10 years at the helm.

Brian Richardson has announced that he will be leaving the Carlisle-headquartered group later in the year.

He said: “After 10 years as chief executive, I feel that this is an appropriate time to hand over the baton to someone new."

It is creating a £5m development opposite the Borderway Mart at Rosehill in Carlisle, including a new food hall for Pioneer Food Services, 22,000 sq ft of business units and car parking, due to open this summer.

Wilson Noctor is the newest recruit to Brewin Dolphin Penrith’s investment team. Originally from Carlisle, he has joined as an investment management assistant.

Wilson, 22, went to Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh to study international business management and graduated last year.

Cartmell Shepherd’s West Cumbria office, which opened in March, has welcomed Claire Turnbull , who has joined as a conveyancing and probate executive. Ms Turnbull, 32, has over 14 years’ experience in the field and specialises in all aspects of residential property and non-contentious probate as well as wills and lasting powers of attorney.

Ms Turnbull’s secretary Lauren Hanley has also joined Cartmell Shepherd.

Genesis Homes, based on Penrith’s Gilwilly Industrial Estate, has appointed Joe Abernethy as its financial controller.

Hailing from Dalston, near Carlisle, Mr Abernethy studied in Newcastle before he took roles in the retail and construction industries.

Rebecca Bird , formerly operations director at System People, has been promoted to managing director at the Carlisle-based company.

She will also continue as a non-executive director of SP Training.

Lyndsey Sisson has been promoted to commercial director after five years working for the business as commercial manager.

Sarah Story has been promoted to education manager after nine years with the business and currently heads up the teaching supply offered to schools in Cumbria.

Sarah Taylor has moved to System People as its first childcare and TA tutor, as part of its latest expansion to offer local schools and nurseries childcare and STL apprentice staff.