News In Brief: Sheffield Chamber & Barista Of The Year

Sheffield Chamber of Commerce Chief Operating Officer Brenda Jordan is tepping down from the Chamber and planning a permanent move to Spain.

Ms Jordan, joined the city business support organisation in 2005 as HR & Accreditation Manager moving to Operations Director in 2015. Last year she was promoted to COO with full responsibility for the running of the membership and member services, training, international trade, events, marketing, and staff management.

Sheffield Chamber President Steve Manley said: “Brenda has helped take the Chamber from loss-making to its most profitable performance in years. Brenda and her husband Joe bought property in Murcia, Spain nine years ago and after many visits and enjoying the Spanish lifestyle they have decided to move there permanently.

Ms Jordan said: “I am proud and very pleased to have played my part during an extremely valuable, interesting and successful time at Sheffield Chamber, I have met some great people over the years.

Barista sets her sights on global Costa Coffee crown

Evangelene Ransom, who works as a Barista at the Pinestone Street Costa Coffee store in Sheffield, has been crowned a UK finalist in the 2019 Barista of The Year competition.

Evangelene wowed the judges with her flare, skill and passion over two days of intense competition, to be crowned one of five UK finalists. Evangelene will now compete against baristas from all over the world with a hope of taking the coveted title of Costa Coffee Barista of the Year 2019.

Now in its 13th year, the annual Barista of the Year competition showcases baristas from all over the world, offering them a platform to showcase the knowledge, expertise and talent, which makes them the best in the world.

The 26-year-old, who lives in Sheffield and has worked for Costa Coffee for Five years said: “It was an intense two days, but I’m thrilled to be through to the world finals. When you enter competitions like this you realise being a barista isn’t just a job but can be a career. With competitors jetting in from as far as Asia, the talent and standards will be high. But I’m ready to put in the practice and show my skills are good enough on the day to take the title.”