2 - 2026 | Chalmers News PR

‘World’s first’ coffee app launching to support Coventry independents

Posted on February 10, 2026 by admin

Two entrepreneurs with a thirst for success have launched the next phase of their mission to champion independent coffee culture across the region – this time in Coventry.

Friends Rob Oakley and Alex Baker, from Leamington, teamed up to create Kuppso Coffee Club, a unique game-changing subscription app which is set to inject a huge boost to the area’s independent café culture as well as its economy.

The app, which the pair hope to eventually take UK-wide, is rooted in their shared passion for community, enticing more footfall away from national chains and into local independent coffee hotspots.

Kuppso app, coffee, Coventry

Simple to use, Kuppso allows customers to either subscribe or buy coffee packs, giving access to a range of hot drinks from a selection of independent partner venues with options for four, eight or 12 coffees a month – and by doing so users are rewarded with great coffee for as little as £2.50.

Additional to the 16 partner businesses in Leamington and Warwick, participating coffee shops in Coventry so far are: Shortland Coffee Co, Warwick Row; Baxter Baristas sites at Herbert Art Museum, Jordan Well and The Transport Museum, Hales Street; Kitchen at the Courtyard, Jordan Well; Gorety Portugese Café, Canal Basin and Myrtles Coffee Shop, Albany Road, with more being added each week.

Rob said: “The launch aligns with Coventry’s cultural energy and its growing appetite for independent, creative, and social experiences.

“Coventry has so many great independent coffee shops and cafes but the city also has a huge number of chains. We’ve spoken to lots of people in Coventry who admitted that coffee from little independents is so much better than the big coffee chains, but habit and convenience kept them going back to the likes of Costa and Starbucks.

“This model not only ensures affordable, high-quality coffee for our customers but also drives footfall, revenue and visibility for local businesses.

“When you have an app like Kuppso that helps you to find these little gems and rewards you for visiting them instead of the chains, it makes it so much easier to create new habits and start supporting the little guys.

“It’s been really well received in other areas so far, we’re just over a year in and have over 1,800 users just in Leamington and Warwick and have coffee shops contacting us all over the country to join.”

Longer term, the pair hope to continue the successful rollout to other areas in the region, including Stratford and Rugby, before eventually taking it across the country.

The price point is attractive to the customer who can expect to pay just £2.50 per standard 12-ounce drink. Everyone who downloads the app is gifted a free coffee and, in line with Kuppso’s sustainability ethos, a complimentary reusable cup, worth £25, is delivered to all new subscribers.

Kuppso app, coffee, Coventry — Rob and Alex at Shortland Coffee, one of their new Coventry partners.

Many local employers are now also adopting Kuppso as a perk, rewarding staff while also supporting local independent businesses.

Rob added: “The employee perks side of Kuppso has been quite interesting. Local employers really like the fact that using Kuppso as a perk not only rewards their staff and gives them a reason to step away from their desk, but also helps local independent businesses too. It’s a real win-win.”

To download the Kuppso Coffee Club app visit HERE.

Review: FRAMELESS, London

Posted on February 8, 2026 by admin

Frameless, London

Culture lovers craving a new experience need look no further.

Located at London’s Marble Arch, FRAMELESS is the capital’s first permanent immersive art experience.

Spanning over 30,000 square feet, its four multi-award-winning galleries bring world-renowned works by artists including Monet, Van Gogh, Dali, Canaletto and Rembrandt to life, in breathtaking new ways.

Old meets new in this most stunning of exhibitions which uses cinematic visual effects and harnesses digital technology to reimagine the world’s greatest masterpieces at an extraordinary scale.

Working with Cinesite, its BAFTA-winning official production partner, and accompanied by a powerful, emotive original score, the result is a deeply immersive journey that invites visitors to see and feel more from the art than ever before.

Frameless, London

Each of FRAMELESS’ galleries offers a distinct and captivating experience, combining hypnotic visuals with a dazzling score.

Beyond Reality explores Surrealism, transporting visitors into dreamlike worlds where they experience otherworldly masterpieces, through the use of wraparound projection and mirrored surfaces.

Colour in Motion celebrates Impressionism, through motion tracking technology which transforms iconic masterpieces into their individual brushstrokes, in an interactive and playful way, inviting visitors to step inside and engage with the art.

Inspired by the beauty of our planet, The World Around Us immerses visitors in stunning 360-degree landscapes through six-sided projection, beautifully bringing to life some of the greatest masterpieces of all time. The Art of Abstraction guides visitors through a maze of colour, shape and form to discover the pioneers of abstract art in an ever-shifting sensory experience.

An ingenious way of introducing children to some of the greatest artists of our time.

Frameless, London

And this February half term, FRAMELESS immersive art experience is inviting families to step inside the beloved world of The Colour Monster, as Anna Llenas’ iconic book is transformed into a fun and emotion-filled immersive experience for the very first time.

Created to celebrate The National Year of Reading and marking the 10th anniversary year of the bestselling picture book, the experience will take the story off the pages and into a fully immersive environment, where emotions are brought to life through colour, movement and sound.

Designed for children and adults, the experience offers a calm, magical space to slow down, connect and explore emotions together.

Taking place within FRAMELESS’ Blank Canvas Gallery, the experience uses Anna Llenas’ distinctive, collage-style illustrations to guide visitors through a series of beautifully crafted emotional worlds. Different feelings, from happiness and sadness to anger and calm are given their own moments, colour and atmosphere, encouraging curiosity, reflection and meaningful conversation.

Frameless, London — **Photo by David Parry.**

The immersive story starts with the Colour Monster feeling overwhelmed and confused as his emotions are all mixed together, but with help, he starts to understand what each feeling means by separating them into coloured jars. As each emotion is explored, the experience gently reinforces a powerful message for audiences, that all feelings are ok and talking about them helps us feel lighter, clearer and happier.

For the past decade, The Colour Monster has helped children around the world understand how to manage their feelings and build emotional literacy and resilience from an early age. Inspired by Anna’s background as an art therapist, the book – published by Templar Books – incorporates techniques she has developed to help make conversations around wellbeing more accessible, playful and easier to understand.

Families can experience The Colour Monster in FRAMELESS’ Blank Canvas Gallery during the daytime from 13th–22nd February 2026, before it continues as part of FRAMELESS Parent & Toddler sessions from 23rd February to 28th April 2026 (Monday–Thursday, term time, 11am–2.30pm). Entry to The Colour Monster experience is included with any standard FRAMELESS ticket when Blank Canvas is open to the public.

For more information and to buy tickets visit HERE.

‘Fashionable’ fundraising in aid of Molly Ollys

Posted on February 3, 2026 by admin

Molly Ollys, NV Her, Warwick Castle — **Sharon Steadman celebrates 18 years of her boutique clothing shop in Warwick**

Fashionable fundraising is the focus of a special anniversary event at Warwick Castle later this month.

It’s a real chance to dress to impress when businesswoman Sharon Steadman hosts A Knight With NV in aid of local children’s charity Molly Ollys.

The event, on February 28^th, also marks the 18^th anniversary of Sharon’s NV Her independent clothing boutique in Warwick’s Market Place.

Sharon said: “We are delighted to be celebrating 18 years of business in fabulous Warwick and have been fortunate that some of her customers have been with us since the start. We would like to thank all of our customers for making the shop what it is and for their continued support.

“We are all looking forward to celebrating and raising funds for Molly Ollys. We wanted to partner with a local charity – supporting local builds stronger, more resilient communities. Local charities often step in where larger organisations can’t reach or respond fast enough.”

Guests will be able to enjoy to a four-course dinner in the Castle’s medieval Great Hall as well as entertainment from live musicians and singers Spa‘kulele, Tom Corsi and Callum Bailey and DY Jos Harrison.

Molly Ollys was established in 2011 by Rachel and Tim Ollerenshaw, from Warwick, following the death of their eight-year-old daughter Molly from a rare kidney cancer.

Molly Olly's Wishes, Molly Ollerenshaw — **Molly Ollerenshaw, pictured just a few weeks before she passed away, aged eight.**

The charity works to support children with terminal or life-limiting illnesses and their families and help with their emotional wellbeing. As well as providing wishes, they donate therapeutic toys and books to both children directly and to hospitals throughout the UK.

The therapeutic toy lion called Olly The Brave has his own Hickman line and a detachable mane which helps to explain and normalise the effects of chemotherapy. These form part of an Olly The Brave pack that has now been handed out to more than 70 hospitals or health centres, along with a set of books from the charity’s exclusive Olly The Brave series.

Rachel Ollerenshaw said: “Whilst we may have grown over the years, Molly Ollys is always grateful for local support. Working with Sharon at NV Her to help her celebrate 18 years in the heart of Warwick has been a great way to cement those all-important links with the local community. We wish Sharon all the very best for a successful grand ball and can’t wait to see a number of familiar and new faces on the night.”

A host of raffle prizes on the night include: an Aubrey Allen voucher; four tickets to Warwick Racecourse; a £50 Boden voucher; rugby match tickets (donated by Warwick Sports); a Giggling Squid voucher, a pair of tickets to see Ed Byrne at Bridge House Theatre; three yoga classes at Heist House Studios and hair products from Nash White.

Tickets cost £98 and are available from NV Her or via: hello@NV-her.co.uk or by calling 01926 930773.

Throughout the 15 years Molly Ollys has been running, it has raised more than £5 million; granted more than 4,300 wishes; supported more than 19,500 children and distributed more than 20,000 Olly The Brave books to more than 70 hospitals.

**Warwick Castle is the stunning venue for the charity event.**

The charity works alongside the NHS to support projects within the hospitals and the community. One key project was the creation and refurbishment of Magnolia House at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. This is a safe and non-clinical space where medical teams and families can have important discussions.

Molly Ollys is also responsible for funding the first ever consultant in paediatric palliative medicine at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, in 2018 and further provided funding for two more consultants, doubling the number of existing roles in the region.

Molly Ollys need the support of companies and individuals to enable them to help more children. They welcome the opportunity to provide more information about their work. For details contact Rachel on 07747 854914.

For more information about Molly Ollys or to donate visit HERE.

Local accountancy firm specialising in SMEs acquired by Nuvo Accountancy

Posted on February 2, 2026February 2, 2026 by admin

Pentlands Accountants and Advisors, Nuvo — **Left to right: Ben Knapp, MD of Nuvo, Taz Birdi, Director of Pentlands, Steve Sharp, Founder & CEO of Nuvo, Elinor Perry, MD of Pentlands.**

A local accountancy firm has been acquired by Nuvo, marking the company’s arrival in Warwickshire.

In a seven-figure buy-out, Pentlands Accountants and Advisors, in Warwick, has become the 34^th acquisition in 21 years by the Derby-based firm which was last year ranked #73 in the UK Top 100 Accountancy Firms.

The deal is said to be a perfect fit for both businesses whose core client base is SMEs and micro businesses.

And it marks a watershed moment for Elinor Perry who last year celebrated her 20^th anniversary in charge of the 28-year-old business where nine full and part-time staff servicing the needs of more than 250 loyal clients from their Pegasus Court offices.

She said: “This acquisition brings strength to our ability to deliver services to clients. We are now part of a much bigger organisation that has lots of skills and resources which we can tap into to help clients with their growth plans. We were very good at doing that but now we can do it on a much bigger scale.

“Nuvo aligns seamlessly with our values and culture. By joining the Nuvo Group, we will be able to further enhance our ability to assist our clients in growing their businesses. This partnership will also enable us to offer new services and support, ensuring our clients’ continued success.”

Elinor, who remains a Partner, added: “As part of the sale three key long standing team members exercised their share options and all the team have moved over to Nuvo’s four-day working week contract resulting in a better work-life balance, along with a 5% Employee Benefit Trust, designed to reward everyone in the shared success of the company”.

“We told all the clients personally over several weeks. Personal relationships are what we built the business on, so it was really important to reassure the clients that it’s business as usual.

Nuvo was named the fastest growing accountancy firm in 2025, this latest acquisition is part of Nuvo’s growth plan to become a top 25 UK firm by 2030. The teams offer expertise in accountancy, tax, audit and advisory.

Founder and CEO Steve Sharp said: “It’s great to welcome Elinor and her team to the Nuvo Group. From our first conversations it was obvious the alignment between the businesses especially in terms of the culture, values and the way Pentlands position themselves as a people focused, modern firm. Pentlands has a strong brand in the region which is why we will be co-branding”.

“Our message to the Pentlands clients is that it really is business as usual, it’s the same team delivering the same services from the same office and the same service levels that they’ve been used to just with the benefit of having a larger group behind Pentlands, which offers them access to additional services where they’re needed.”

It’s a momentous personal chapter for Elinor who, in 2005, aged 34, did a management buyout from the existing owners of the business – eventually also going on to buy out her business partner in 2010.

Reflecting on the acquisition, Elinor said “Having guided many business owners through this journey over the years, I understand the process well. However, you never truly appreciate it until you experience it firsthand. The emotional attachment is significant; this business has been my foundation for two decades. Therefore, it was crucial to find the right home for the team, the clients, and myself as I transition into a new role within a larger organisation.”

Review: Beleza Rodizio, Solihull

Posted on February 1, 2026February 1, 2026 by admin

Those who appreciate the often rare combination of quality AND quantity in a dining experience – will be in their element thanks to the latest arrival to Solihull.

Local foodies can count themselves lucky their little part of the world has been chosen as only the third UK location for Beleza Rodizio, a premier Brazilian steakhouse. The second isn’t far away either, in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Renowned for its authentic rodizio-style dining and vibrant atmosphere, this is a meat-eater’s paradise with a rather fun and unique feel – and one that stands every chance of ‘carving’ out its own place in a crowded culinary market.

Beleza meaning ‘beautiful’ in Portuguese, showcases an exciting and authentic Brazilian rodizio in all its flair and finery – an all-you-can-eat extravaganza.

Beleza Rodizio, Solihull, Brazilian, wagyu

Cooked over a one-of-a kind charcoal grill, sumptuous skewers are carved at your table, the Rodizio-Style service offers meats including beef, lamb, chicken, and pork, all expertly seasoned and grilled. There is also a Gourmet Salad Bar offering a selection of fresh salads, traditional Brazilian and Argentianian side dishes, and hot items to complement the main courses.

And all hail the star of the show – the diverse menu also includes Wagyu, the legendary super-marbled, super-expensive beef from Japan that’s now become really sought-after in the UK. Expensive because of the way it is reared – the cattle are fed for 600 days after weaning and that’s more than double the time for other breeds. It’s the marbling that gives wagyu its unique tender and buttery flavour. And is genuinely the most flavourful beef I’ve tasted.

And now Beleza Rodizio is changing the rules of rodizio-style dining as it’s the only restaurant in the UK to offer unlimited Wagyu cuts, creating a new luxury dining experience. Guests can enjoy a selection of high-quality Wagyu cuts carved fresh at the table, such as Brazilian Picanha, premium sirloin, and slow-cooked Wagyu short ribs.

Beleza Rodizio, Solihull, Brazilian, wagyu

To help wash it down, there are some great Signature Cocktails, including Brazil’s famous caipirinhas and a curated list of wines, to enhance the dining experience.

And the impressive and vibrant décor makes for a fitting sumptuous backdrop to the rich flavours of Brazilian cuisine.

For the uninitiated in this style of service, my advice is to pace yourself. The passadors are circulating constantly with a variety of meats and it is best to take your time over the plate of food and, perhaps, enjoy extra drinks and salad bar trips between the meat fest.

The costumed passadors even offer side dishes on a skewer, including garlic bread and onion rings and there’s also pineapple carved at your table for those craving a fruit hit!

Beleza Rodizio, Solihull, Brazilian, wagyu

For the unlimited Wagyu rodizio experience, guests can expect to pay £65.95 per adult, with under 4’s dining for free and children enjoying the same unlimited offering at a reduced rate of £17.95 for ages 5-8 and £27.95 for ages 9-12. Meat is served to taste, so guests can request their cut rare, medium or well done.

This is a culinary ‘experience’ in the truest sense, probably best enjoyed in group occasions or celebrations. Give it a go – but you might want to starve yourself for the day for maximum enjoyment!

With attentive service, elegant interiors and the theatre of meat carved tableside, Beleza Rodizio delivers an experience that feels celebratory from start to finish, whether it’s a special occasion or just an excuse to indulge in quality meat and ingredients.

Beleza Rodizio, Solihull, Brazilian, wagyu

Belza Rodizio is a fascinating feast for the senses, an immersive dining experience that I think will prove popular – at least with those who have the cash to splash. Otherwise a special occasions venue perhaps.

For guests looking for something beyond the ordinary, Beleza Rodizio is setting a new standard for what rodizio dining can be. Check it out HERE.