Lawyers at Nottingham law firm Browne Jacobson have successfully advised Natural England on the buyout of William Sinclair's peat extraction rights at Bolton Fell Moss in Cumbria. The deal allows for the immediate phased cessation of peat extraction at Bolton Fell. Bolton Fell Moss was recently designated an important conservation site after the European Commission confirmed its status as a site of community importance. Sarah Parkinson led the Browne Jacobson team that advised Natural England on the environmental, commercial and property issues.

Northampton logistics provider Dachser has expanded its service network in the UK after buying the North West-based regional and national distribution specialist Leach Distribution. “This investment will strengthen our market position in the UK and create operational synergies with Dachser’s established international network. Customers will benefit from the combination of a regional presence and our integrated pan-European pallet and full-load services as well as Dachser’s global network,” said Nick Lowe, Dachser’s UK managing director. For Insider comment click here.

Derby College has joined forces with the Communications Workers Union (CWU) and the United Road Transport Union (URTU) in two separate agreements to provide skills training for their members. More than 2,000 Derbyshire CWU members and non-members will study a wide range of job-specific NVQ qualifications as well as literacy, numeracy and IT short courses delivered either at work or at college over the coming year. A two-year agreement with the URTU will support workers across the East Midlands on a similar range of courses. This has so far been launched at the DHL and Homebase distribution centre in Wellingborough where a new learning centre has been created.

Why don't we hear more about Midlands companies winning Olympic contracts? In the latest edition of his weekly blog, Midlands Business Insider editor Andy Coyne looks at the tendering process, the progress of Midlands businesses, what's left to fight for of the promised goldmine and who's likely to win big in the next round of contracts. For more from Andy, click here.

Tamper Technologies, the printer and manufacturer of security tamper evident labels and tapes based in Ashbourne, has won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise 2010 in the international trade category. The Queen’s Award recognises Tamper Technologies’ success in developing new export markets for its range of security tamper evident tapes and labels adding to the security of cartons, crates, polythene bags, packaging and boxes worldwide.

Everards Brewery has been crowned Pub Company of the Year for the third time in one of the pub industry’s leading annual awards ceremonies. The Leicester company triumphed in the category for tenanted/leased companies with 20 to 199 outlets at the publican awards. Everards picked up the same title in 2007 and 2008 and was the runner-up for the prize in 2009.

The civil engineering division of North Midland Construction (NMC) has completed a £1.4m refurbishment of Wilford Suspension Bridge in Nottingham for Severn Trent Water. The Grade II listed bridge had suffered from rotting of the deck timbers and corrosion of parapet girders, with damage and water ingress to the protection sheathing to the bridge cables. NMC worked on the project with consultants Pick Everard and Inertia, as well as specialist sub-contractor Stonebury, which carried out the intricate sand blasting for the structure.

Blusource Professional, a division of Nottingham-based search and selection consultancy the Blusource Group, has added to its team with the appointment of interim and contract specialist Chris Colegate. Joining the company from Michael Page International and with experience in the financial recruitment sector, Colegate takes up the position of associate with Blusource Professional

Derby law firm Smith Partnership has appointed Louise Haward as a solicitor in its employment team in Derby. Prior to qualifying as a solicitor in 2005 she worked in house at RBS Insurance and has since worked for Legal 500 firms in the West Midlands.