The partnership is made up of town centre stakeholders including retailers, District and County Councils, management from the two shopping centres, and Town Centre Management, who discuss developments, prepare events to increase footfall and profile and share information to safeguard the future success of the town centre.

Lois Williams, Responsible Business Manager at The Junction explains: “We were delighted to be invited to join the Town Centre Partnership. It is imperative that businesses who invest in and operate from the town centre work together to ensure the ongoing success of the town as both a centre for its residents and an attractive destination for visitors. We hope that inclusion within this partnership will allow us to take an even more active role in Aylesbury life.”

The Junction will donate £3,000 on an annual basis in order to be involved with the Town Centre Partnership; funds which will support town-centre events and activities. Since joining the partnership, The Junction has sponsored flower-filled hangiing baskets to support Aylesbury in Bloom. Lining the frontage at Cambridge Street, the baskets are consistent with those hung in the town centre and provide a bright and colourful display for the public’s pleasure.

Lois Williams adds: “The Junction endeavours to work within the community, building bonds with residents and local businesses and supporting local initiatives. The Town Centre Partnership membership is another step in this ongoing process and we look forward to working with other businesses in promoting and supporting Aylesbury and all it has to offer.”

A brand new employment programme has been launched this week to help Telford and Wrekin residents learn lifelong skills and thrive in the workplace.

‘Job Junction’, a Telford and Wrekin Council led initiative, aims to help improve career and skill development opportunities in the area of Malinslee. It has come about thanks to a generous £20,000 donation from The Junction, the owner and manager of Telford Forge Shopping Park.

The ‘Job Junction’ centre will offer local people specialist advice to get on to the career ladder. Services at the centre include preparatory support for returning to work, education and training. Individuals of all ages and abilities will be welcomed at the centre and provided with tailored help in writing CV’s and job applications, as well as access to introductory courses in literacy, numeracy and ICT. The centre will also forge links with local employers for placements and adult work experience, one example of which will be Telford Forge Retail Park and its shops.

Lois Williams, Responsible Business Manager at The Junction comments: “With so much development planned for Telford it is important that local people can take advantage pf the opportunities offered. Our business is suported by people across the borough and we are glad to be able to give something back. The centre will provide a real opportunity for the people of Malinslee and we hope that other companies will recognise the benefit that such initiatives bring to local people and local enterprise.”

Cllr Dennis Allen, Cabinet Member for Community Services, said: “In Malinslee ward there are some 200 people on long term unemployment benefits. The ‘Job Junction’ is being launched to encourage and assist them to find worthwhile employment. We are extremely grateful to The Junction for their generous support and feel very positive that the scheme could enable up to trhee quarters of those unemployed in the area to start successful careers within twelve to eighteen months.”

The Job Junction ‘drop in’ sessions will be taking place at the Healthy House, 94 Withywood Drive, Malinslee every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning from 10am - 12noon.

Members of the older community are also being invited to get involved in the scheme and it is hoped that the polar age groups will engage creatively with one another, build bonds, banish negative sentiment and gain confidence skills.

The Junction’s Morfa Retail Park POD will be hosting an introductory launch of the music@bonymaen project between 11am and 5pm on Wednesday, 16th July. Tele-visual installations and demonstrations of the music-creation software will allow the public to get a taster of the scheme. The team will be on hand to answer questions and those who benefited from the pilot of the scheme will also attend to provide an insight into the project and to showcase their musical creations.

Lois Williams, Responsible Business Manager at The Junction, comments: “The quality of the works produced in the first project and the enthusiasm and engagement levels of the young people was impressive. This music project is a valuable and powerful tool that provides Bonymaen’s residents with creative and technical skills as well as a better understanding of one another. We are delighted that we are able to offer our support so the project can continue.”

Shaz Abedean, Co-ordinator of Bonymaen Communities First Partnership, comments: “We are really looking forward to the project beginning on 21st July. The Junction’s support is greatly appreciated and we look forward to introducing our project at their Morfa Retail Park this Wednesday, 16th July; we welcome members of the public to visit us there to see the value and relevance of this initiative for the area.”

The project is a partnership between The Junction Morfa Shopping Park, Bonymaen Community Events Group, Bonymaen Achievers (a local youth forum), City and County of Swansea Community Regeneration Unit and Youth Service and Bonymaen Communities First Partnership. If you would like to find out more about the project please call the Bonymaen Communities First office on 01792 464 751.

The Midnight Walk is taking place for the first time this year and provides a major fundraising opportunity for local charity, Severn Hospice that cares for people with progressive and life-limiting illnesses in Telford, Shropshire and Mid Wales. The hospice was set up in 1989 to offer high standards of nursing and medical care for its patients, trying always to sustain quality of life and relief from pain. Since its doors opened it has provided respite and medical assistance to 12,000 individuals, not to mention the emotional care and counselling it has provided to their families, friends and carers.

The walk around Telford aims to raise approximately £10,000 towards the £5 million required to run the hospice each year, two thirds of which is dependent on donations and public support at events like this.

Lois Williams, Responsible Business Manager at The Junction, said: “We are pleased to be able to host an event for such a respected local cause. We hope it will raise public awareness of the amazing work that is carried out at the Severn Hospice and we wish all the participants lots of luck”.

Lucy Proctor, Fundraising Manager for the Severn Hospice commented: “We are really looking forward to the event and hope it will raise considerable funds to allow us to help many more people at their time of need. The interest in taking part in the Midnight Walk was substantial and, in response to this, we hope to repeat the event next year. We are delighted that The Junction is able to provide a central point fo rus to set up for the night, and thank them for their co-operation.”

For more information about the charity or to pledge support for the walkers, please visit the Severn Hospice’s website at www.severnhospice.org.uk

The winners of the annual Portsmouth College Enterprise Day, designed to teach students the art of business, was announced today as “Mad Jakr”, a team made up of students from the Business Studies and Maths departments.

The event, supported by The Junction - the company that owns and runs Ocean Retail Park, saw teams of students from different college departments enter a challenge to design a brand new board game concept. Within the brief they were to invent a game, produce it and exhibit it to the rest of the group, complete with a business presentation and a 30-second commercial.

“Mad Jakr” took the title for their original board gaming creation, “King of the Couch” and Kate Nicol from The Junction presented the winning team with the College Enterprise Cup. Kate and her colleague, Lois Williams made up the judging panel and came to their decision based on the students’ ideas, teamwork, finished products and presentation skills.

Lois Williams, Responsible Business Manager for The Junction comments: “It was inspiring to attend this event and see the enthusiasm of the young people as well as the very high standards of their products and business models. It was extremely difficult to pick a winning team; however, we felt “Mad Jakr” really excelled with a creative product, an engaging presentation as well as an excellent understanding of business issues such as competition and profit. The Junction is very pleased to be able to provide support for this event, helping tomorrow’s business people develop their business skills.”

Evelyn Grant, Enterprise Co-ordinator at Portsmouth College, comments: “The college was delighted with the support and involvement of The Junction, and we look forward to working with them again in the future. Although this was only our second annual Enterprise Day, the event is proving to be a great success and is very popular amongst the students. We look forward to seeing more wonderful ideas, concepts and presentations next year!”

The gift is being put to good use already with the development of a new outdoor area for the Centre, giving those who hire its halls a comfortable all-season outside space.

The Centre has been undergoing a major transformation over the last couple of years with double glazing being fitted throughout and the replacement of the building’s roof. This latest announcement falls in the same week as the Aylesford Festival Celebration that will take place in and around the Centre this Saturday. Villagers and others from the surrounding area will be able to see how the Centre has been developed for the 21st Century and will take the opportunity to preview upcoming elements of its continued ‘makeover’.

More and more bookings are being taken for use of the halls and regular hirers now range from belly dancers, a local history society group to toddlers’ discos and keep fit groups. The Centre is also a favourite for wedding receptions and birthday parties and the Community Centre team feels sure that a new outdoor terrace will add to its appeal.

Lois Williams, Responsible Business Manager for The Junction commented “It is important to us that we support the local community and when we heard of the development taking place at the Community Centre we were pleased to offer our financial commitment and backing.”

Lin Brooks, who helps run the Aylesford Village Community Centre, is excited at the latest development plans. She commented “This is an important step in the renewal of the Centre’s facilities. The provision of a new outdoor patio area will really enhance the centre and strengthen its position as a focal point for the village and we are delighted that The Junction has offered to sponsor it for us.”

The South Aylesford Retail Park provides the area with a considerable and varied out-of-town retail offer that compliments the shops in the town centre around it. The retail park houses ten big-name retailers including Bhs, Homebase, Currys and Carpetright.

The bicycles will be used by police officers to patrol the city, particularly the Fratton area and other hotspot locations.

Lois Williams, Responsible Business Manager at The Junction comments: “This initiative provides greater support to protect the local community from crime. We are committed to becoming a key player in the local areas surrounding our retail parks, whilst also building a recognised and trusted brand that benefits retailers and shoppers. Intergral to our strategy is the provision of retail parks that are safe and secure, and supporting the local police is one way of achieving this at Ocean Retail Park.”

Sergeant Ben McClane of the Nelson Safer Neighbourhoods Team comments: “We are grateful for all the support that we have received from The Junction and are delighted with the bicycles that they have provided. Cycling is an excellent method of transport that assists us in policing the region in an environmentally friendly way.”

There are over 420 police officers in Portsmouth, serving a population of 190,000. These officers are supported by 50 Police Community Support Officers and 190 members of police staff. The new bikes will enable more police officers to have a presence in the town centre, ensuring that it is a safer place for visitors and residents.

Safety continues to be a high priority for The Junction, with many of their parks gaining Park Mark Safer Parking awards, a nationally recognised award from the British Car Parking Association (BPA). The Junction manages its parks through an in-house operations team, who employ on site security operatives to ensure parks are clean, safe, well managed and accessible.

The Junction has leased a 10,000 sq ft unit to HomeSense on a 15 year lease at Imperial Park, Hartcliffe Way, adjacent to Next and the store officially opened on 15 May 2008.

John Gatley, Managing Director at The Junction commented: “The continued interest and ongoing letting activity is proof of the prosperity and popularity of Imperial Park. We are pleased to offer and accommodate HomeSense with the space required for one of their first UK stores. HomeSense provides a valuable addition to the park and comlements the existing retail mix.”

Earlier this year, a major development by The Junction increased the number of stores at Imperial Park from 10 to 12 with the potential for nine further outlets. HomeSense alone are creating 40 new jobs in an area of South Bristol where employment has historically been lower than the national average.

HomeSense has been retailing successfully in Canada for seven years offering high quality home interiors products. Nora Harley, European Vice President at HomeSense comments, “We believe that shoppers in the UK are hungry for a home concept that brings them both quality brands and value. HomeSense offers a unique retail experience and we are confident of the success of our new stores.”

Imperial Park covers an area of 337,548 sq ft of shopping space and includes 1,200 parking spaces. Retailers include B&Q, Woolworth’s, Tesco Home Pluc, Argos Extra and JJB Sports as well as a newly opened Next.

Pictured above are: The HomeSense sales team featuring Manager, Chris Roy and prize winner Liz Silcocks whose prize included officially opening the store.