Sedgefield MP Paul Howell provides the guest foreword for the 60th issue of Aycliffe Business…
Welcome to this special, celebratory edition of Aycliffe Business.
I’m very pleased to introduce this very special issue of Aycliffe Business, which marks the publication’s 10th anniversary.
I was an avid reader of this magazine long before I was elected as your MP in December 2019. And I’ve continued to enjoy reading Aycliffe Business in the three years since.
We receive a copy of every issue to our office on Aycliffe Business Park. It’s always great to read about all the positive stories from our companies and organisations on the park.
There have been many challenges in recent years. The Covid pandemic affected every business – sadly, some weren’t able to survive – but many did, and continue to grow and create new jobs, which is fantastic to see.
I’m delighted Aycliffe Business has survived these recent challenges. It’s important that we have publications such as this to inform other businesses and the local population that there are still some great achievements and developments being made in our area.
It’s also a massive bonus for the business park to have a publication like this showcasing the amazing range of businesses we have here.
I congratulate Martin Walker and the team at Aycliffe Business for reaching this fantastic milestone.
Aycliffe Business Park itself has a long, long history, having been formed originally in 1941 when the ROF factories were built – home of the legendary Aycliffe Angels.
Aycliffe played a huge part in fighting the Nazis, with 17,000 workers here producing no less than 700 million bombs and bullets for the war effort (you can read more about this on pages 14-15).
Today, Aycliffe plays a huge part in sustaining jobs – and creating new jobs – for local people and plays a crucial role in the local economy.
As the modern-day Aycliffe Business Park looks ahead with huge optimism – with our business park providing the biggest single employment area in the North-East – we can also look back with great pride on the impact Aycliffe has had on the UK over the last 80 years.
Click here to read Aycliffe Business issue #60.
Paul Howell MP