RiverOak Strategic Partners receives commercial partner award from Canterbury Christ Church University

July 22, 2023 Kathy Bailes Business 41

RiverOak Strategic Partners has been named Commercial Partner of the Year at the 2023 Business and Community Impact awards

RiverOak Strategic Partners has been named Commercial Partner of the Year at the 2023 Business and Community Impact awards held by Canterbury Christ Church University earlier this week.

Over the past five years, as part of its Manston Skills and Employment Board (MSE-B) initiative with local schools, colleges, universities, business organisations and local authorities, RSP has partnered with the university to support the development of young people.

The partnership includes lectures, student mentoring, and visits – offering business students industry experience and learning as part of their studies.

Tony Freudmann, director of RSP, said: “At a time when youth unemployment in East Kent remains worryingly high, we see it as our responsibility to play our part, together with likeminded organisations like Canterbury Christ Church University and others, to give young people the best possible opportunities and experiences as part of their studies.

“ I would like to thank the university for this recognition of the tireless efforts of Dr Sally Dixon and airport operations manager Gary Blake, who give so much of their time to these projects and initiatives.

“I would also like to pay tribute to the other shortlisted nominees for their valuable work to support our next generation too.”

The awards were designed by engineering students at CCCU.

41 Comments

  4. Well done, RSP and all involved in the MSE Board. Great that your work and efforts happening quietly behind the scenes that many don’t know about, have been recognised. Education and apprenticeships for our East Kent community are vital for the future. Schools are anxious for the DCO to be finalised, so they can benefit every year, as quoted in the DCO. Let’s hope the judge’s JR decision comes soon, in your favour.

  6. Excellent news !
    RiverOak’s aim is to bring suitable education and training to the people of Thanet, so that they are able to apply for jobs at Manston Airport when it does open.
    In 2018, when preparing the case for the DCO, Dr. Sally Dixon wrote :
    Education and training
    “RiverOak is working with Higher and Further Education representatives to leverage opportunities associated with the Manston Airport’s future potential operation.
    “Raising the aspirations of young people will be essential, particularly in areas of deprivation like Thanet. It is hoped that Manston Airport can stimulate the desire to continue in education and training, encouraging young people to improve their life chances and realise their full potential.”
    RSP V7.4 : Azimuth Report : V4
    And Sally and RSP have been working towards this aim ever since.

    • Secretary of State in his Decision letter refers to Dr. Sally Dixon’a Azimuth Report:
      The Secretary of State” is satisfied that the Applicant’s Azimuth Report demonstrates that there will be a demand for the capacity that the Development will release.”
      “The Secretary of State therefore places substantial weight on the capacity that this Development will deliver in the South East of England.”
      “the 33 Secretary of State is satisfied that the approach taken in the Azimuth Report, which is supported by the Northpoint Report, is appropriate and preferable.”
      The Secretary of State does not even bother to refer to Ms. Congdon or anything she has written.

      • You never answered the question about how often did the MSE meet.
        Here’s another for you to answer
        why have they not met since last November?

        Oh and why aren’t East Kent College involved in the MSE

      • But the SOS is wrong, isn’t he? he’s ignored the reports made by several lots of aviation experts.

      • Dr Webber, you are, without doubt, a scientist.
        You understand the Scientific Method.
        You must, then, agree that the SoS’s decision to grant the DCO has no basis in fact, and is just a political decision.
        Never mind Louise Congdon’s expert opinion. The SoS gave no weight to the report he himself had commissioned from OveArup.
        Do you happen to know what facilities and resources RSP offered to CCC?

    • I’ve just looked on CCC’s website. In the “Courses” search page I tried:
      “Aviation” – no courses found.
      “Aeronautics” – no courses found.

  10. ‘Tony Freudmann, director of RSP, said: ” … to give young people the best possible opportunities and experiences as part of their studies.”
    How have they done this?
    Nothing at all is happening at Manston.
    Where have these young people enjoyed these ‘opportunities and experiences’?

  11. Well, six positive comments in the first hour! Doesn’t sound like someone rang around to rally the faithful of SMAa, does it? 😂😂😂 Now, what exactly has been done by RSP, apart from line the college’s pockets? Site visit and a bit of publicity to keep the faithful onside?

  13. Oh dear, the usual trolls on the attack !
    May I suggest that a proper perusal of what CCC have done in association with the RSP teams and local educators, in preparation for the many students wishing to train for well paid jobs, locally, and internationally..through the courses, and apprenticeships that will be created in the near future…
    As Dr Webber states, this cooperation between the University, local schools and RSP, has been progressing quietly for some time.
    Be assured, once the legal challenges over the Secretary of States Decision to Grant the DCO, is concluded..then the real work can begin….
    Those opposed to job creation locally, are rather pathetic in denying youngsters the opportunities to achieve their aims ….
    Resorting as usual to the pathetic insults..
    But, the Judges Ruling on the legality of the SOS’s Decision will be delivered soon. Then perhaps the more sensible majority of residents will see RSP’s plans quickly come to fruition…

    • Have you actually read their minutes old son??
      If you read them like I have you would realise they haven’t actually done anything at all

    • “An Observer”

      Trolling? Go on – give us a list of Freudman’s successful business ventures that have not left others out of pocket ……

  14. So much for transparency from anything RSP get involved in. Taken from the minutes of their last meeting in November 2022. No meetings held in 2023
    “7. A discussion was held on promoting the work of the MSE Board and the transparency of minutes going forward. The objectives were to decide how best to promote the work of the Board and define a press release schedule and to agree if and when minutes will be released to the public. It was felt there needs to be some form of transparency, particularly once the DCO comes through. It minutes go into the public domain this would restrict conversations. As such it could be better to take control and release the minutes on behalf of the group who put so much effort into supporting the airport to make a difference to the local area. However, many wide-ranging issues are discussed, and it is necessary to ensure minutes reflect only non-confidential and summarized issues and actions.”

  15. “Release the minutes on behalf of the group who put so much effort into supporting the airport”. Does that mean “just let SMAA see the minutes”? Because if so, transparency is the wrong word. And which conversations would be restricted “if minutes go into the public domain”? Surely letting the public see them would result in a wide range of “conversations”.

  16. Some of you people ought to have a care – You are getting perilously close to being in line for accusations of character defamation. Idiots

  17. Clearly there are some people who believe everything that Tony Freudman says, and by extension everything that Sally Dixon (RSP’s paid for commentator) and those who do not.

  18. But then that has been the hallmark of the anti-airport side all along. Abuse, insult and idiocy – because all they are about is greed and surrounding building houses.

    • Lance is obviously unfamiliar with earlier comments (dating back years) by airport supporters. They are notoriously rude and insulting towards people they disagree with.

      Who are the “known convicted trolls”?

      By the way, not wanting an airport near Ramsgate does not mean wanting hundreds of houses to be built there.

    • On the contrary.
      “Anti airport” folk don’t need to resort to “abuse, insult and idiocy”. The facts are on their side. They have only to refer to the many, many reports which are critical of RSP’s plans.
      On the other hand, those in favour of an airport have absolutely nothing with which to counter anti airport arguments, so, all too often, they resort to personal abuse.

  20. The future is an operational freight and them combined ops, everyone knows the objectors have began to fail. (not saying why but its obvious)

    Rsp have proven enough not to be dismissed over and over again on out of date issues]
    Umm 40 year old jumbo jets burning fuel from a suid country, that will make amazing photos during sunset or sunrise.

    Support art not nimby curtain twitchers,

  21. “T A rpaulin” I object to RSP’s plan for an airport near Ramsgate.How does “everybody” (except me, of course) know that “the objectors have begun to fail”? Why are we “beginning to fail”? It certainly isn’t obvious to me.

    Is the 5.37 comment ironic? It’s hard to tell, under the circumstances.

  22. OK, I will try again my first attempt was deemed unprintable apparently! So “RSP were named commercial partner of the year…an award held by Canterbury Christchurch University” Can we see the evidence for this, which I hope is true, detailed, transparent, and beyond reasonable doubt. I would be happy to believe any evidence from Dr’s Webber & Dixon, if it passes the “balance of probability test” which seems questionable!

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