₤3m investment in Aintree warehouse creates 25 new jobs

PREVENTATIVE healthcare company PAM Group has doubled the warehouse capacity for its specialist retail business with a ₤3m investment in new premises on Merseyside. PAM Group has acquired Fortune House, a 30,750sq ft warehouse on the Sefton Business Park at Aintree. It was built in 1989 as a call centre for Vernon's Pools. The site on Deltic Way includes an area earmarked for seven smaller units covering a further 18,700 sq ft. Plans for these additional units have been submitted to Sefton Council. The warehouse will be the main storage and distribution centre for PAM Health, which sells exercise, fitness, sports, ergonomic, physiotherapy and rehabilitation equipment. Fast growing PAM Health supplies consumers as well as professionals such as physiotherapists, and healthcare providers. It has expanded through acquisitions as well as organically, with revenues on track to reach ₤5m this year. James Murphy, founder and chief executive of PAM Group, said the investment would initially generate 25 new jobs across PAM Health's warehousing, sales and customer service operations, rising to 50 over the next couple of years.

Following a fit out of the warehouse, the company plans to install video recording and photographic studios there alongside a technical support unit. The single storey warehouse has a steel frame construction and covers 2.13 acres. The entire site purchased by PAM Group spans 3.3 acres.

James said:- "We are delighted to have completed the purchase of this site, which doubles our existing warehouse capacity and will enable us to support the expansion of PAM Health. There is a huge increase in demand for its vast range of products, particularly as people work more from home and have more neurodiversity needs. Our new warehouse means we will be able to hold more stock and ensure continuity of supply for our growing customer base. The site is ideally located, being near to the motorway network and a large population from which to recruit talented staff as we bring employment opportunities to the area. This investment marks the latest exciting chapter in the growth and development of PAM Group as we continue to build for the future. We look forward to progressing plans for the seven smaller units at the site, which will be used for further PAM Health operations including a specialist clinical laboratory, creating more jobs in the area."

Cllr Ian Maher, leader of Sefton Council, said:- "It is great news for the borough that another successful business has chosen to expand its footprint here in Sefton and we're extending a very warm welcome to them right here in Aintree. Not only is this a great asset in terms of creating new jobs for our area, but it also demonstrates that businesses can really thrive here. InvestSefton plays a key role in supporting businesses moving into the borough like PAM Group, which is vital for Sefton's future economic growth. Our specialist officers will be providing their expert local knowledge to aid staff recruitment and support the business as they expand their offer from their new Sefton based home."

InvestSefton is the enterprise, business support and inward investment service of Sefton Council. It leads on and supports economic growth in the borough. As well as selling directly to consumers and professionals, PAM Health works with companies such as Asda to supply their staff with equipment to help them perform their roles better. The group was advised on the site purchase by Jane Courtney, of Warrington based FDR Law. The agent was Mason Owen and Partners. PAM Group has appointed Distinct Developments, based in Warrington, as the contractor for the warehouse fit out. For more information about Sefton Council's InvestSefton service, visit:- InvestSefton.Com.

Botanic Lake Campaigner Praises MPs Office for 'Very Helpful' response

SOUTHPORT MP, Damien Moore, is urgently pursuing funding to clean up and improve a lake, in Southport, where a local man fell in and subsequently died. Ben Smith Crallan, 37, who was from Southport, sadly died in Hospital in June 2018 after being placed in an induced coma to fight off the effects of a necrotising fasciitis (NF) bug. His family believes that Ben may have contracted NF after slipping into the lake, at Botanic Gardens, in Churchtown, Southport.

A Facebook group called:- "'Make a change' For Ben - Campaign To Get Botanic Gardens Lake Cleaned" has already attracted over 2,600 members after being set up by his friend, David Rawsthorne, while a Go Fund Me appeal has already raised over ₤3,500. The Botanic Gardens Community Association meanwhile is calling for work to ensure:- 'crystal clear waters' for the lake at the park, which is a popular spot for families from across the Region. The BGCA wants to see the installation of aerating water features, the restoration of the ornamental bridges over the lake and investment for the old Museum building.

Local campaigner David Rawsthorne is doing all he can to raise awareness of the issue and is asking as many local people as possible to add their voices to the campaign for improvements to be made. He said:- "Ben accidentally fell into Botanic lake, in May 2018. The infection that resulted from being submerged in the water caused a domino effect of severe complications which ended his life three weeks later. Whilst the issues Ben faced are rare, we believe that the cleaning of the lake should be made a priority by Sefton Council, who have so far been reluctant to undertake work and make this a priority. A flow is required to make the water body less hazardous to public health, and by adding aeration to decompose organic matter and support aquatic wildlife, the lake will thrive. I am grateful to our MP and his caseworkers for supporting our campaign; they've been very helpful and have shown an appetite to get something done about this issue. I posted a message on Stand Up for Southport the weekend I launched the campaign and one of his caseworkers immediately reached out and contacted me on a Sunday afternoon, out of hours, to see what they could do to support the campaign and get things moving. Within 24 hours, our campaign was assigned to a caseworker who is now writing to Government Ministers and organisations to explore avenues for funding, and they've provided us with weekly updates. Damien Moore and his caseworkers have a good reputation locally for getting things done and if anyone can get things moving, they can. We already have a meeting with Regional managers from the National Lottery Heritage Fund who have shown a close interest and I'm hopeful we can secure a positive outcome."

Southport MP Damien Moore said:- "I have spoken with David Rawsthorne about his desire to see the lake at the Botanic Gardens cleaned up after the tragedy that happened to Ben. Botanic Gardens is one of our town's most historic and iconic parks and is enjoyed by a large number of residents. The volunteers in the Botanic Gardens Community Association do a fantastic job maintaining the park to such a high standard year after year, but they need support to bring the infrastructure and the facilities there up to scratch. I have spoken to David Renwick, the Area Director for the North at the National Lottery Heritage Fund, to seek their support for the project and I have invited him and his team to visit the Botanic Gardens with David [Rawsthorne] and I to see for themselves what work is required and the importance of it. My caseworkers and I are determined to help bring about improvements at the Botanic Gardens in Ben's memory and for the benefit of local residents."

News reports located on this page = 2.

₤3m investment in Aintree warehouse creates 25 new jobs

Botanic Lake Campaigner Praises MPs Office for 'Very Helpful' response