United Auctions (UA) announced today that terms have been completed with Ledingham Chalmers LLP and Johnston Carmichael to each open a new office at the Stirling Agricultural Centre.
The full service law firm and the independent chartered accountants, respectively, are both expanding into the City of Stirling for the first time with new offices on the first floor of the Agricultural Centre.
Ledingham Chalmers has significant interest in the rural sector and the move to Stirling Agricultural Centre is intended to support its growth ambitions across Scotland - furthering its existing successes across its long-established offices in Aberdeen, Inverness and Edinburgh. The firm has a headcount of 147, including 64 qualified lawyers – 24 of whom are partners.
Johnston Carmichael is Scotland’s largest firm of independent chartered accountants and business advisers and is one of the Top 25 accounting firms in the UK. With ten offices located throughout Scotland, the new Stirling office will expand their geographical reach further.
Since Scotland’s leading livestock auctioneers took full ownership of the Stirling Agricultural Centre and its 52 acres less than a year ago, the facility has attracted a range of agri-related businesses, including Carrs Billington Agriculture, a blue chip agri merchandiser and CKD Galbraith who have opened a national farm sales office at the Centre.
With only a single remaining office available - for the right agri-business - the Centre is now 99% fully let.
Neil McLean, Group Joint MD of UA who are landlords of the Centre, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to welcome Ledingham Chalmers and Johnston Carmichael to the Centre and to the City of Stirling. Today’s announcement culminates an exciting period of ten months when we’ve seen an influx of major brands opening in Stirling. With the addition of these two leading Scottish firms, our vision as a centre of agricultural excellence is being realised.”
Sandy Manson, Chief Executive of Johnston Carmichael, said: “We are delighted to be opening this office in Stirling and to be working with United Auctions. Our history of working with the farming community in Scotland goes back 75 years and we will be able to provide our clients in Stirling with the full range of expertise available within Johnston Carmichael.”
Jennifer Young, Chairman of Ledingham Chalmers, said: “This is a key strategic location as we increase our offering across Scotland, and we are very pleased to open our doors at United Auctions' Stirling Agricultural Centre.
"Stirling has an important role to play not only in our work in the agricultural sector but also in providing improved access to central Scotland, where we aim to further expand our service to the diverse rural business sector - farming, food, fish and forestry and increasingly the renewables sector.
"Following on from the arrival of our new Private Client Services Director John Campbell, this new base is an indication of our ambition to further grow our operations as well as the firm's reputation as one with which people like to do business."
Ledingham Chalmers' presence at Stirling will be managed by colleagues within the firm’s agricultural team, including partner and accredited specialist in agricultural law Allan Collie, locally based Rural Business Director Linda Tinson and John Campbell.
Representatives of both firms will be attending the February Bull Sales at the Agricultural Centre, which take place over two weeks, from Monday 6th to Wednesday 8th February and from Monday 20th to Tuesday 21st February 2012.
What are the issues for employers engaging with Higher Education for recruitment? 
Pam Crawford of the Career Development Centre (CDC) at the University of Stirling is conducting a survey into the above topic as part of a post graduate study.
The aim is to find out how employers perceive what the processes, barriers and benefits are to engaging with Higher Education for recruitment purposes, with a focus on University of Stirling and local employers as a case study. The study is exploring employer’s views on employability and recruitment in its widest sense: recruiting for graduate posts, part-time/casual posts, internships, volunteering work and student projects.
This survey will increase the Career Development Centre’s understanding of the issues that employers encounter when recruiting students or graduates through the University.
To complete the short survey, go to: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GWJGZJS
If you would like more detail on the study, please contact Pam Crawford at
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Employer Supported Volunteering (ESV)Scotland
Launched as a trading style of Ascent Scotland on the 24th October 2011, ESV Scotland’s aim is to provide businesses with qualitative bespoke opportunities to engage in Corporate Social Responsibility in a way that
- brings value to the business
- provides personal & professional development opportunities for its employees
- brings tangible, measurable benefits to the individuals, communities and organisations we will match them with.
Our projects are fully impact assessed from the planning stage, setting objectives & milestones right through to the reflective stage exploring the benefits for all stakeholders. This approach will ensure the corporate social image and reputation of the company improves.
“What will it cost us?” The real question is “What will it cost us not to?”
Employer supported volunteering provides experiential learning which is cost effective and serves to motivate staff with life changing and rewarding experiences, as well as enhancing the ethical portfolio of your organisation.
For further information please contact Alan Fowler or Tam Cassidy: 01786 44 85 86
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www.ascentscotland.org.uk
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