Manufacturers from across Leeds are invited to join sponsors of the Leeds Manufacturing Festival at the Central Square offices of RSM in Leeds city centre on Wednesday 26^th June for an evening of networking and to find out how they can get involved in the festival.

John Gyngell and Christian Townsley, owners of North Brewing Co, will be joined by CEO of Bright Blue Foods Jonathan Lill at the event to talk about the challenges and opportunities they face as food and drink manufacturers.

The evening will be hosted by Neil Sevitt, senior partner in the Leeds office. He said: "RSM is delighted to sponsor the Leeds Manufacturing Festival which raises awareness of the career opportunities within manufacturing in and around Leeds. 

Graham Cooper, Leeds Manufacturing Festival organiser and director of Leeds printing products manufacturer Agfa Graphics, said: “The networking evening will be a great opportunity for some of Leeds’ 1,800 manufacturers to discuss the pressing issues they face in the current climate of economic and political uncertainty.

“Skills and recruitment always top the agenda and the Leeds Manufacturing Festival directly addresses this issue by showing 10,000 young people across the city, as well as their parents and teachers, the career opportunities that are available right here in Leeds in our vibrant manufacturing sector.”

The networking event takes place at 5pm-7.30pm on 26 June and will be held at festival sponsor RSM’s Central Square offices in Leeds. The UK’s third largest manufacturing centre, Leeds is home to more than 1,800 manufacturing firms, employing 26,000 people. The Leeds Manufacturing Festival, which runs until October, includes an extensive programme of events linking young people with potential employers.

Now in its second year, the festival is sponsored by RSM, Womble Bond Dickinson, The Works Recruitment and Leeds City College. It is organised by Leeds Manufacturing Alliance, with the support of Leeds Chamber of Commerce, Leeds City Council and Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP). The initiative is complemented by Bradford Manufacturing Weeks, which take place in October.