Robbie Lewis Pride Q&A

June 29, 2022

Can you briefly describe your career path to date and your current role within the ClearCourse Group?


I joined ClearCourse via the acquisition of Standout UK, a digital agency based in Leicester. Since my team has moved into Swan Retail and then ClearCourse Retail. We are now focused on building medium/large ecommerce solutions that are tightly integrated the group’s retail systems (SRS, FRS, TRIMS).


What does Pride Month mean to you, and why do you think it is essential that we acknowledge the contributions of LGBTQ+ people throughout history and in present times?


In 1969 a group of LGBTQ+ people protested shocking police brutality at the Stonewall Riots in New York. From this the wheel of change began to move and has since become a global movement. Pride Month is a time to celebrate progress but also to focus on the issues that are still faced by many in our community. Through the summer season we gather at festivals and events to share experiences, celebrate diversity and most importantly to educate ourselves and others. It’s great to see many Pride events growing across the country and engagement from businesses and government has been a big part of that.


In particular, trans rights are big focus. There are still many basic equalities that are not available to trans people. You may have seen in the news recently that legislation to ban conversion therapy did not include protections for trans people. There are documented cases of trans conversion therapy using electrocution and techniques that are severely damaging to the mind. These practises continue in our country. We mobilise through community action and legal challenges to bring it to an end.


How would you describe your experience of working within the ClearCourse Group as part of the LGBTQ+ community? (historically within the agency Standout and more latterly with Swan Retail, part of the ClearCourse Group).


I feel both lucky and proud to say that I have never faced challenges around my sexuality at this company. Rather, it is celebrated and my activism has been enabled by the company in many ways.


Throughout my time working for Standout UK, Swan Retail and now ClearCourse Retail, I have had the greatest support from my colleagues and the business. I have been on the team organising Leicester Pride since 2009, an event which has grown to over 10,000 attendance. The company helped me to meet critical deadlines during challenging years of Leicester Pride and made company resources available to me such as large format printing and use of our offices.


Are there any assumptions about the LGBTQ+ community in the workplace overall that you’d like to challenge?


I think there have been questions historically about how family friendly Pride events are. A lot of changes have been made at Leicester Pride to reduce the emphasis on alcohol and adult themes, so that everyone feels welcome. There is also a drive to reduce the cost of attending Pride events and to offer free areas or free days for those that do not have the means. If you haven’t visited a Pride event recently and you think that there might not be something for you to enjoy, I would urge you to visit. I have also taken great pleasure in seeing an increase of people from different cultures, religions and communities at our events. This is helping us to reach out further than ever before.


How are you celebrating Pride this year? 


I also work as a DJ at LGBTQ+ nightclubs and Pride festivals. I spend the summer touring Pride festivals and performing. This year you can catch me at Leicester Pride, Birmingham Pride and Leeds Pride. As an organiser of Leicester Pride I will spend the next couple of months organising the event with my team. This involves everything from infrastructure and corporate sponsorship to marketing and running the stages on the day.


Could you recommend a pride playlist, booklist, and movie list?


Here’s a great playlist from Spotify with all the sounds you might expect to hear when attending Pride events. I’m not a huge bookworm, but this article from The Independent covers some important literature, factual and fiction. Similarly, Gay Times has an excellent list of films, my personal recommendations are: Pride (2014), Paris is Burning (1990) and Philadelphia (1993).

A member of staff at a farm shop smiles as she operates an EPOS terminal

Software and Payments Specialist ClearCourse Acquires Cloud-Based Retail Software Provider, Davidson Richards

July 29, 2025
LONDON 29 July 2025: ClearCourse, the provider of industry-specific software and embedded payment solutions for SMEs, announces the acquisition of Davidson Richards, a leading retail management and EPOS (electronic point of sale) systems provider. Davidson Richards provides cloud-based management and EPOS systems tailored to the retail industry. Founded in 1977 and based in Derby, Davidson Richards launched its flagship product, OpSuite, in 2012 after recognising the need to address gaps left by off-the-shelf products. Today, OpSuite enables retailers to centralise and streamline operations by integrating with core systems such as accounting software, eCommerce platforms, mobile and loyalty applications, and warehousing. Trusted by many leading garden centres – a sector where OpSuite has established a strong reputation – its extensive functionality also makes it suitable for a broad range of sectors, including grocery, fashion, and furniture. Joining the ClearCourse group will enable Davidson Richards to expand their offerings, providing customers with in-house payment and eCommerce solutions. By offering these in partnership with other specialist ClearCourse companies, Davidson Richards will be able to focus on building new client relationships and to profile the benefits of OpSuite to new retail market segments. Led by a long-serving expert team including ex-retailers, Davidson Richards offers its clients consultancy, training, bespoke development and dedicated in-house support. Their customer centric approach means that many of the Davidson Richards team are directly involved in technical or support delivery for clients to provide greater value to its clients. ClearCourse aims to become the engine powering small and medium businesses across the UK by putting big tech solutions in the hands of founders and their growing businesses. Davidson Richards offers a clear opportunity for ClearCourse to deepen its presence in the retail sector, and its long-standing, loyal customer base and experienced team closely align with ClearCourse’s culture and values. Christina Hamilton, CEO of ClearCourse said: “We are delighted to welcome Davidson Richards into the ClearCourse group as part of our Retail & Hospitality Software vertical. OpSuite is a market leading product that is well positioned to expand its innovative offering into new sectors. We are excited about the natural integration this partnership enables, as OpSuite will be able to offer in-house payment and other commerce enabling solutions through the wider ClearCourse group products.” Keith Bateman, Sales Director at Davidson Richards said: “This acquisition marks an exciting new chapter for our business and customers. Joining the ClearCourse group will enable us to enhance the service we offer our customers, particularly through the introduction of an in-house Electronic Funds Transfer solution. ClearCourse is the ideal partner to help us to grow the business through an increased investment into marketing and to reach more customers.”

ClearCourse welcomes new Chief Financial Officer, Sacha Bielawski

June 25, 2025
LONDON, 25 June 2025 : ClearCourse, a provider of industry-specific software and embedded payment solutions for SMEs and targeted enterprises, today announced the appointment of Sacha Bielawski as Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. Sacha will lead ClearCourse’s financial strategy, working with senior leaders to accelerate organic growth, drive profitable sales, and deliver the company’s goal of being a leading engine powering small and mid-sized businesses across the UK. Before joining ClearCourse, Sacha spent nearly nine years as Chief Financial Officer at Coople, a leading digital staffing agency, where he led corporate expansion initiatives and oversaw the Group’s financial strategy. He has also held senior roles within private equity and investment firms, where he focused on identifying and scaling high-potential businesses through strategic M&A, financial restructuring and investment projects across Europe and the US. Sacha builds on the achievements of Mark Grafton who will be leaving the company later this month. “We’re delighted to welcome Sacha Bielawski as ClearCourse’s new CFO at this exciting time in the company’s continued evolution” said Christina Hamilton, CEO. “His extensive expertise in scaling businesses, leading growth acceleration programmes and driving innovation and efficiency will be instrumental in delivering our next phase of growth.” “I am delighted to join ClearCourse at such a pivotal time in its journey,” Sacha Bielawski said . “I believe the company is well-positioned to capitalise on the convergence of software and payments, an accelerating trend that presents compelling organic growth opportunities over the coming years. “As ClearCourse continues to acquire software companies in high growth verticals, I look forward to leveraging my entrepreneurial experience to engage with business owners considering a partnership with ClearCourse and to support them post-acquisition to grow further within our platform. “ClearCourse is a business with significant potential, and I am excited to contribute to its next chapter of growth and long-term value creation.”