UKSE centre helps footballer Craig’s business ambitions.
A former professional footballer turned entrepreneur is forging ahead with ambitious plans for his business from a UKSE Innovation Centre in his home town of Redcar.
Craig Haley’s RAH Group, named after his late father Bob, is a recent arrival at the Innovation Centre on the Kirkleatham Business Park.
RAH Group is not only expanding Edge Services, the specialist training company it acquired in 2021, but has also now taken a stake in Oculus Integrity Services, providers of integrity testing to a wide range of industries and also based at the Innovation Centre.
“I had wanted to go into business for a long time and my father and I had many discussions about it,” said Craig. “I can see real potential for growth at Edge Services, Oculus and for the RAH Group and am excited about the future.
“Being born and bred in Redcar it is great to have the Innovation Centre’s workspace and facilities on my doorstep and the support from the UKSE team on-site is invaluable.
“We have ambitious plans for continued national growth at Edge Services and the Teesside and North Yorkshire area will play a particularly important part in those,” he added.
As one of the UK’s leading providers of specialist training in the manual handling of patients, Edge Services already has a strong reputation built up over 24 years in the health and social care sector. Its wide range of courses is provided at 11 UK training centres as well as in-house for more than 175 clients. They include BUPA, local councils, care homes, schools and universities, the National Autistic Society, Alzheimer’s Society, Barnardo’s and Royal British Legion.
With the recent introduction of a major programme supporting those involved with dementia care and plans to extend its services into new sectors, including the sporting and business worlds, Edge is looking for experienced nurses, physiotherapists and occupational therapists to join its team of trainers.
“This is a sector where demand is growing,” said Craig. “The experience and expertise of our trainers is key to the business and we have a strong team that we value highly.”
UKSE’s Diane Parker said: “We are delighted that RAH Group and Oculus chose to make the Innovation Centre their home. We have around 50 businesses here involved in everything from textiles, drilling and freight to finance and fundraising and it is a friendly and supportive community.”