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Welcome to the Thursday edition of the Kent Business Newsletter…

This week each local business story is also read by our AI newsreaders. Let us know what you think!

An Ashford nurse is taking medical aesthetics training nationwide with a new academy for healthcare professionals. Fresh Start in Education has earned three award nominations for its work supporting young people outside mainstream education. Birketts has awarded nearly £25,000 to grassroots Kent projects helping people build skills, confidence and community connections. And in Folkestone, 77 affordable homes are taking shape at Dawsons Green, bringing new life to a long-derelict site.

From business growth and specialist training to education, community funding and housing, this week’s stories show how local organisations are tackling real needs while putting Kent firmly on the map.

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An Ashford nurse has helped launch a new medical aesthetics training academy with national reach. Skin Masters has been founded by Nurse Georgi, owner of Sorella Aesthetics in Ashford, and Nurse Louise, owner of Secret Skin Aesthetics in Hartley Wintney, Hampshire. The two first met during nursing training more than a decade ago and have built the business around shared clinical standards. While rooted in Kent and Hampshire, the academy is aimed at medically qualified professionals from across the UK who want to sharpen their skills and grow with stronger support.

Skin Masters offers CPD-accredited masterclasses, clinic shadowing and one-to-one practical training. Its programmes are designed to strengthen technique, improve clinical judgement and help practitioners build patient-focused clinics with confidence. The founders say many professionals are left unsure where to turn after beginner training, especially in a fast-growing sector that can feel isolating without proper guidance. Alongside clinical training, the academy also runs a business masterclass covering pricing, patient retention, marketing and operations. The launch gives Kent a visible role in a specialist training business now attracting interest from around the country.

➡️ See why practitioners are travelling to this Kent academy.

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Fresh Start in Education has been shortlisted for three honours at the Alterna Prestige Awards, recognition that puts its work in alternative provision firmly in the spotlight. The national specialist education provider is up for the Innovation in Practice Award and the Supporting Students and Families Award, while Head of Innovation Sean England has been nominated for the Programme Development Award. His shortlist place reflects work on the STAND behaviour framework, a set of digital courses designed to help parents, schools and educators handle behaviour with greater confidence, consistency and care. The awards, part of the Provisions Plus+ programme, celebrate people and services reshaping support for young people outside mainstream education.

Ahead of the ceremony in Solihull on 3 July, chief executive Ed Robbins said the nominations reflect the commitment of Fresh Start’s team and the schools, local authorities and families it works with each day. Since launching in 2011, the organisation says it has supported more than 3,000 learners, worked with over 180 local authorities and delivered 400,000 hours of support. That scale matters at a time when demand for specialist help, mentoring and emotional support continues to test public services and education budgets. Recognition for providers working in this space also draws attention to the growing role of alternative education in keeping vulnerable young people connected to learning.

➡️ See why Fresh Start’s work is drawing national attention.

You can also watch this local business news read by our AI newsreader here:

Birketts has awarded £24,900 from its Charitable Fund to support four grassroots projects in Kent, marking the first round of funding in the county. Managed by Kent Community Foundation, the fund is aimed at charities and community groups working to improve lives across Kent and Medway, with support focused on local need, stronger communities and practical help where it can have the greatest effect. The first grants will go to organisations tackling skills gaps, social isolation and barriers to work for people who often struggle to access the right support.

The funded projects cover a wide spread of community need. Communigrow in East Malling will run an employability programme for neurodiverse young adults and those at risk of falling out of education or work. Lily’s Social Kitchen CIC will expand its employment support for neurodiverse people and adults with learning disabilities. Shorne Young Farmers Club will improve its outdoor space and build permanent animal enclosures for vulnerable young people learning through farming activities. Spadework in West Peckham will use the funding to help cover core costs as it continues its work with adults facing disability, mental health challenges and dementia. Birketts says the partnership will continue, with more support planned in future rounds.

➡️ See which Kent projects secured the first Birketts funding.

You can also watch this local business news read by our AI newsreader here:

Orbit welcomed Folkestone and Hythe MP Tony Vaughan KC to Dawsons Green in Folkestone as work continues on 77 new affordable homes at the former brickworks site off Caesar’s Way. The scheme, delivered with Chartway, includes 35 homes for social rent and 42 for Shared Ownership, with a mix of two and three-bedroom properties aimed at easing local housing pressure. During the visit, Vaughan was shown progress on site and opened a new three-bedroom show home, giving the project another public marker as construction moves forward. For a part of Kent where housing demand remains high, the development adds fresh supply in a location that had stood derelict for decades.

Orbit used the visit to set out how Dawsons Green is being built and marketed, including its tenure-blind approach so homes receive the same design, safety and service standards whether they are for social rent or Shared Ownership. The team also highlighted measures intended to cut environmental impact and improve energy efficiency for future residents. Plans for two public open spaces, including a play area, were also shared as part of a wider push to build a settled new neighbourhood rather than a housing site alone. Together, the visit underlined how affordable housing delivery, sustainability and regeneration are being tied together in one prominent Folkestone scheme.

➡️ See what is changing on this long-derelict Folkestone site.

You can also watch this local business news read by our AI newsreader here:

BusinessGreen reports growing concern among Kent and East Sussex fruit growers as extreme heat affects production and working conditions. The article says some farmers have resorted to overnight spraying to protect staff and crops as temperatures approach 40°C in Kent. Read more.

South East Water has introduced a Temporary Use Ban across its Kent supply area after high temperatures and record demand. The restrictions affect non-essential water use and may create operational issues for firms relying on outdoor cleaning, maintenance or landscaping. Read more.

A former NHS clinic in Margate is set to be converted into offices for local businesses. The College Road Clinic has been sold, with the new use adding workspace capacity for firms on the Isle of Thanet. Read more.

Two guests on the show this weekwith Paul and Jules! Chandra Sharma of Workwear4Business and Morag Horner from Greystoke.

Workwear4Business is an independent supplier of embroidered workwear and branded clothing, helping businesses present a professional and consistent image through high-quality custom workwear.

Greystoke specialises in solving the everyday challenges that come with running properties and facilities - whether it’s maintaining high standards across multiple sites or managing within tight budgets.

 To listen to this week’s show in full visit Kent Business Radio

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