Fruitful experience goes down a treat with staff at the Yellows

Drivers  and other staff working for Yellow Buses and Yellow Coaches are eating healthier thanks to a tie-up with Faast.

The Bournemouth-based fruit and vegetable supplier is delivering regular fruit boxes to the bus and coach operator.

David Squire, Managing Director of Yellow Buses and Yellow Coaches, pictured left, said: “As part of our mental heath wellbeing plan, which has developed over the last couple of months, we identified that having a healthier diet would be beneficial to our staff.

“We spoke to Faast and they were happy to help, supplying fruit boxes to both our depot and town centre canteen.

“They have been an instant hit with our staff”.

Simon Lovett, of Faast, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be involved with such a great initiative from Yellow Buses and it’s been so well received by all the brilliant staff.

“Our boxes are always totally fresh, and we include a huge array of different products so they always have a good variety to eat.

“Healthier living is something we totally support and we’d love to see other forward-thinking companies doing the same thing in looking after their staff in such a positive and pro-active way.”

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Expanding life insurance broker appoints Chief Financial Officer

Fast-growing life insurance broker Protect Line has appointed Pedro Coimbra Fernandes as Chief Financial Officer.

Pedro, pictured left, joins the Bournemouth-based company from London Stock Exchange-listed Hiscox where he was Interim Chief Financial Officer of London Market and Hiscox Syndicates Limited.

He has held similar roles at a number of other organisations, most notably AIG (American International Group), where he covered various territories including the UK, Latin America, Middle East and North Africa.

He has specific experience of working in the protection market globally.

Fernandes will work closely with Jo and David Brewer, the husband and wife team who founded Protect Line in 2010.

David Brewer, Co-founder and Director, said: “We are delighted to announce this key appointment to our business.

“Pedro comes with a wealth of knowledge and experience which we know will be invaluable in achieving our strategic growth objectives.

“We are looking forward to working with Pedro and helping take Protect Line to the next level.”

Jo Brewer, Co-founder and Director, pictured left, said: “Pedro joins us at an important point in our growth plan.

“His pedigree of experience is rare to find the insurance space, let alone in the life insurance industry.

“We believe Pedro’s wealth of experience will help us build and refine our structure.

“His appointment gives us an opportunity to enhance our control of the business growth during this next phase.”

Pedro added: “After working for global PLCs in leadership roles, I wanted a new challenge.

“I’m impressed with what Jo and David have achieved at Protect Line already.

“The foundations of the business give me a great platform to help them achieve their growth plans.”

Protect Line, which is gearing up to become directly authorised with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) later this year, grew revenues by 13 per cent last year to £20.4m.

It now employs 270 staff in Bournemouth and London.

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First virtual conference launched by Christchurch-based charity

A Christchurch-based national charity, CMT UK, is holding its first-ever virtual conference to open up the event up to a wider audience.

It takes place online over two days – Friday May 21 and Saturday May 22 – and includes top speakers from around the world.

The conference’s main sponsor is Dorset Orthopaedic.

The event is ideal for anyone interested in CMT (Charcot-Marie-Tooth) or for those who would like to find out more about the condition, whether they are members or non-members of CMT UK, or medical professionals.

CMT United Kingdom, which describes itself as a small but national-reaching UK charity, provides essential services to its members and the wider community affected by the hereditary medical condition CMT.

CMT damages the peripheral nerves, which means that muscles become progressively weaker over time, particularly in the hands and feet.

Simon Bull, Chief Executive of CMT UK,  pictured left, said “Usually we organise an in-person annual conference.

“However, with this year’s understandable government restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic, we decided to move the conference on-line.

“This also gives the wider CMT community a chance to attend from anywhere in the UK, or even overseas.

“We are aiming for this year’s conference to be really informative with all the latest CMT findings from around the world.

“The online platform also has a social lounge element, so the CMT community is able to meet each other socially, too.

“In the UK, some 25,000 people are thought to have CMT, making it the most common inherited neurological condition.

“Although there isn’t a cure for CMT and it can be very disabling, life with CMT can still be full, enjoyable and worth living.

“Most of CMT UK’s trustees are living with CMT, so they know first-hand the type of support that is needed for our members.

“For a small charity, it’s really active with lots of information available about the condition, managing it, and living well.

“Without all the very generous support we receive, such as from the conference’s main sponsors, Dorset Orthopaedic, we would not be able to support all our members and health professionals.”

More information and tickets can be found here.