Join the team from iSH - the Industrial Solutions Hub - as they visit businesses and organisations across Cumbria pushing the frontiers of innovation, delivering unique solutions to global challenges and building a thriving future for generations to come. With a new guest every episode, ‘iSH Presents’ meets the people who are, today, helping to deliver the industrial solutions of tomorrow.
From decommissioning and waste management to facility life extension and international growth, NSG has built its reputation on solving complex nuclear challenges with practical thinking. Managing Director, Gareth Wilson, and Senior Project Manager, Rob Hawley, join Miranda to discuss why the best solution isn't always the most complicated, how NSG has grown while retaining its people-first culture, and how opportunities in West Cumbria and beyond are shaping the company's next chapter.
21 Sept 2026
Back from the brink - CoLab's story of survival and growth
In this episode of iSH Presents, Miranda visits Whitehaven-based consultancy Co-Lab to meet founder Clyne Albertelli and senior consultant Nishantraj Pandey.
The conversation explores Colab's journey from startup to growing business, the challenges of finding commercial success, and the importance of turning strategy into action.
The trio discuss attracting talent to West Cumbria, supporting SMEs through the SCRIP supply chain improvement programme, opportunities across nuclear, defence, clean energy and agriculture, and the role of AI in modern consultancy.
The episode also looks at Co-Lab's new Control Room platform and its ambitions for future growth.
24 Aug 2026
Innovation, collaboration and growth: Why Eadon Consulting chose Cumbria
Host Miranda Kirschel visits Eadon Consulting's Cockermouth office to meet director Jim Hill. The discussion explores collaboration, innovation, skills growth and why Cumbria's engineering and robotics ecosystem is attracting ambitious businesses looking to solve some of industry's toughest challenges.
Jim discusses Eadon's expansion into West Cumbria, the development of its pioneering REACH robotic deployment system, and how engineering expertise and partnership working are helping deliver solutions for the nuclear sector and beyond.
10 Aug 2026
Building Better Futures: The Aspire Academy Story
In this episode of iSH Presents, Hannah speaks with William King, Managing Director of William King Construction and co-founder of the Aspire Academy.
Developed in partnership with Time to Change West Cumbria and West Cumbria Learning Centre, Aspire Academy helps young people who struggle in traditional educational settings to develop practical construction skills, gain qualifications and build confidence for the future.
William discusses the impact the programme is already having, the importance of employer involvement in education, and how Aspire Academy is creating new pathways into apprenticeships, employment and long-term careers across West Cumbria.
28 Jul 2026
From Windscale to world-class engineering - The Shepley Group story
Miranda is joined by Trudy Harrison and Callum Woodend to explore the story of Shepley Group - from its origins supporting the Windscale programme to becoming the longest-standing continuous contractor at Sellafield.
They discuss the group’s integrated engineering capability, its focus on apprenticeships and local skills, and the role it is playing in the future of clean energy, defence and the West Cumbrian supply chain.
It's not all about Cumbria, though - Big Ben gets an honorary mention too!
8 Jul 2026
Ambition, opportunity - and the power of resilience
iSH Skills Lead Hannah is joined by Simon Richardson, Vice Principal of Energy Coast UTC, to discuss how the college is shaping the futures of its learners. From industry partnerships to GCSE results day and everything in between, they explore how this small but mighty college is developing the next generation of dreamers, doers and leaders.
10 Jun 2026
Where global tech meets local innovation - Atos and the future of Cumbria
Hannah sits down with Leigh Seaman, client executive partner at global IT services provider, Atos, to explore the role of digital technology in Cumbria’s future.
They discuss why collaboration between global organisations, SMEs and local talent is essential to building a resilient economy and explore why, by combining long-term expertise with innovation and new skills, Cumbria is well positioned to play a leading role in the UK’s digital and clean energy future.
The episode also highlights the importance of skills and talent development, and how Digital Cumbria is helping connect organisations and showcase local capability to wider markets.
14 May 2026
Rise of the robots - exploring the mission of RAICo
In this episode, host Miranda is joined by Dr Kirsty Hewitson, director of the Robotics and AI Collaboration (RAICo). They discuss RAICo's founding principles, its constituent partners and the collaboration's mission to remove humans from hazardous environments by developing innovations underpinned by the latest in robotics and AI technology. If humanoids, robotic 'dogs' and next level tech are your thing, this is the pod for you!
27 Apr 2026
Mediterranean dreams and rescue robots – The Forth story
In this episode, Miranda is joined by Mark Telford, Chief Executive of Forth, one of Cumbria’s leading engineering companies.
Broadcast from the home of Forth’s 1.2-million-litre Deep Recovery Facility, the conversation explores the business’s humble beginnings, its rapid growth, and its reputation as the speedboat of the engineering world.
The pair delve into innovation in the nuclear sector, Forth’s expansion into Malta, and the company’s strongly held views on social value – alongside the thinking that has driven its success.
13 Apr 2026
Going with the flow: McMenon's global mission
Miranda is joined by Anand Puthran, CEO of McMenon Engineering, who offers an intimate insight into life at the West Cumbria business as it approaches its 80th anniversary.
Exporting to more than 60 countries, McMenon operates in a fiercely competitive global market. Anand talks candidly about what it takes to go head to head with billion-dollar engineering giants, while also reflecting on the growing competitive pressure emerging from manufacturers in India and China, and how the business is responding.
30 Mar 2026
Life through a lens - Virtual Reality unpacked
In this fascinating episode, the rising importance of virtual reality as a training and safety tool is discussed by two organisations who have collaborated to develop a novel package to support nuclear decommissioning work
ISH's Skills Lead, Hannah Pears, is joined by Dave Eldon formerly of the Emerging Technologies team at Sellafield's Engineering Centre of Excellence and Greg Beach, Managing Director of V360XR.
18 Mar 2026
The ability to React - exploring the power of Cumbria's SME's
In a wide-ranging interview, Kayleigh Daniels, Head of Development at React Engineering, discusses SME agility, the power of pragmatism and inspiring the next generation. She also shares with host, Miranda, some of her proudest moments - including playing a part in securing a once-in-a-generation investment for her home town of Cleator Moor - and gaining a degree as a mum of three with a demanding full time job.
9 Mar 2026
The International Women's Day Episode
In this montage episode, the tables are turned on host, Miranda, as she becomes the one in the hot seat during a conversation with Dr Kirsty Hewitson, Director of RAICo (the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Collaboration). The episode also features excerpts from Miranda’s discussions with Kayleigh Daniels, Head of Development at React Engineering, and Hannah Pears, Skills Lead at iSH, as they explore the experiences and challenges of women in the workplace.
24 Feb 2026
The Createc story: When technology, innovation and entrepreneurialism collide
Across the sectors of critical infrastructure, defence and nuclear - to name just a few - Cumbria-based Createc is blazing a global trail as it delivers technology that makes a tangible difference to the world, one project at a time. CEO, Will Newsome joins iSH Programme Director, Miranda Kirschel to discuss 15 years of business growth and innovation.
9 Feb 2026
Powering up: The remarkable rise of CORE Nuclear Solutions
John McGibbon, Managing Director of CORE Nuclear Solutions, shares the inside story of a remarkable transformation. What began as a small UK subsidiary of a US business, employing just four people, has grown into a high-performing SME powerhouse with a team of 64, operating at the sharp end of one of the most demanding industries in the world.
26 Jan 2026
Problems are our currency - meet the head of Sellafield's Engineering Centre of Excellence
Craig Branney, Head of Sellafield’s Engineering Centre of Excellence, explains how the off-site facility was born out of a determination to innovate during the Covid-19 pandemic – and how it has since evolved into a fully operational unit tackling some of the most complex challenges facing the global nuclear sector.
19 Dec 2025
How innovation helps Sellafield deliver its internationally significant mission
Gary McKeating, Managing Director of iSH, opens the ‘iSH Presents’ season with a senior figure from Sellafield, Gareth Frazer.
Gareth, Head of Manufacturing and Engineering Solutions at Sellafield Ltd, and board member of iSH, lifts the lid on how his team innovate to deliver products and solve problems in some of the world’s most challenging nuclear decommissioning environments.
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