AO Business has announced a new lead for their housebuilder team. John Farnham, previously National Account Manager for the B2B division of AO.com, has been promoted to the leading position, after a successful first year for AO Business in the competitive housebuilders market. After recently growing the housebuilder team, AO
West Country new homes creator bunnyhomes has re-opened its Georgian inspired Fremington site, Foxglove Lane, for appointments only. North Devon home hunters are invited to take a seat inside the plush marketing suite – the ‘bunnylounge’ – where they can find out more about the exclusive collection of new homes
The Covid-19 crisis offers the opportunity to rethink the way we design our cities, said speakers at Planning and Development to Enhance Health and Wellbeing, the third of Polypipe Civils & Green Urbanisation’s e-Roadshow events on Realising Resilience. Focused on Birmingham, the first UK city to join the global Biophilic Cities network, the
Digitalisation and autonomous processes are propelling the manufacturing industry into a Fourth Industrial Revolution. With technology providing connectivity and data-driven insights to the manufacturing sector, can it also solve challenges facing the construction industry? Here, Nick Cowley, managing director at window and door supplier to the offsite construction industry, Euramax,
FirstPort, the UK’s largest residential property manager, has today announced a transaction which will see it combining with leading property and asset manager, Mainstay Group. For FirstPort and Mainstay customers, clients, employees, management, and supply partners day-to-day operations will remain unchanged. Completion of the transaction only remains subject to approval
Referencing a recent CBRE report, CEO Paul Oberschneider discusses how the already rising participation of non-bank lenders will be even more instrumental in the months ahead. The coronavirus pandemic has hit the housing market hard but this does not mean that developers looking for financing are out of options, says
PERMAROOF, the UK’s leading importer and distributor of Firestone RubberCover, is celebrating its most successful May and June in its 19-year history despite the nationwide challenges faced by all businesses due to the coronavirus pandemic. With a 26% increase in sales in May 2020 compared to 2019 and a staggering 86% increase when comparing June 2019 to 2020,
The employee-owned business has added standard insulated box liners to its thermal range. This range is ideal for getting goods from A to B in a temperature-controlled environment at cost-effective prices. Commonly used in food and drink and pharmaceutical industries. Insulated box liners help to maintain the inner temperature of
Modular building experts are supporting the education sector through COVID-19, by offering health and safety solutions that will ease the process of returning to the classroom as lockdown measures are lifting. Supporting the return to education for primary and secondary schools, modular building experts, Elliott, are working to government guidelines
Construction firm Beard has today begun the phased reopening of its offices, welcoming back staff who are struggling with the isolation of remote working. The move follows a successful week-long trial, with a range of safety measures implemented to ensure any risk of coronavirus infection is minimised. The majority of
AO Business has announced a new lead for their housebuilder team. John Farnham, previously National Account Manager for the B2B division of AO.com, has been promoted to the leading position, after a successful first year for AO Business in the competitive housebuilders market. After recently growing the housebuilder team, AO Business are transforming the way appliances are purchased for new housing developments. Remaining open for business during the crisis, they are now the supplier of choice for many housebuilders. Being part of a large retail group with its own logistics network has meant that they can continue to deliver to business customers and offer a fantastic next day delivery and installation proposition. Prior to joining AO Business, John Farnham was the National B2B Account Manager for Samsung UK, and previously Contracts Account Manager at Electrolux. Talking about his new role, John said: “I’m excited by the opportunity to really make my own mark on the sector and to drive through some positive changes in the way appliances are delivered and installed on site. AO have a unique vision for the housebuilder industry, and they have made fantastic progress by offering business clients a powerful alternative. I’m determined to make AO Business the best appliance distributor on offer.” Anthony Sant, MD of AO Business, said: “We’re excited for John to start leading our Housebuilder team here at AO Business. Housebuilders are really waking up to the benefits of our proposition to the industry, and with John at the helm, we can continue to move full steam ahead during these unprecedented times.” With next day delivery and installation, renowned customer service and over 20 years’ experience of selling electricals to the public, AO Business offer a unique proposition for time-pressed housebuilders. ABOUT AO.COM Online electricals retailer, AO.com was founded in 2000 by John Roberts following a £1 bet in a Bolton pub. Formerly known as Appliances Online, the company rebranded in 2013 to become AO.com and the current logo was born. In the same year they aired their first TV advert and reached 1 million Facebook likes. In February 2014 the company floated on the London Stock Exchange as AO World. AO.de was launched in Germany in 2014 and 2016 saw the opening of an 84,000 square metre, purpose-built HQ located in Bergheim. AO.com stocks over 9,000 products and delivers millions of electricals every year from its 740,000 sq. ft. logistics warehouse in Crewe. AO.com’s user-friendly website aims to provide helpful and impartial information on all of its products and is able to price match retailers stocking the same products. AO.com also offers customers free and next day delivery on thousands of products, as well as installation and recycling services.
West Country new homes creator bunnyhomes has re-opened its Georgian inspired Fremington site, Foxglove Lane, for appointments only. North Devon home hunters are invited to take a seat inside the plush marketing suite – the ‘bunnylounge’ – where they can find out more about the exclusive collection of new homes coming to Fremington, all of which have been carefully selected from bunnyhomes’ Craft Collection. Visitors will also have the opportunity to explore and discover bunnyhomes’ high-quality build inside The Granary show home. All appointments must be booked in advance before visiting the bunnylounge by calling Sales Executive Millie on 01271 411014 or emailing foxglovelane@bunnyhomes.com. Social distancing measures will be followed during each appointment with hand sanitiser available throughout the bunnylounge and show home. Amongst the first homes to be released at this desirable development of new homes located off Yelland Road, is the beautiful Carriage House. Lovingly built to impress, this two-bedroom detached apartment would suit a first-time buyer who is looking for a home with added flair or perhaps a retiree looking for a downsize solution. Inspired by a popular period of British architecture, Carriage House boasts its own elegant entrance which sits beside a garage, providing ample storage space, and parking. Through the front door, the stairs lead up to the bright and airy open plan kitchen / living / dining area. The home features large windows, including skylights in the kitchen area, which flood the space with natural light. As home hunters walk across the tasteful oak wooden floor, they can really appreciate just how much space the Carriage House has to offer. The well-proportioned living /dining area has been designed to comfortably fit a good-sized table and chairs as well as comfy sofas. The trend-leading bespoke kitchen has been thoughtfully designed with both style and ‘liveability’ in mind, with handy soft-close features and under-cabinet lighting, a practical pull-out larder and smart Smeg appliances. Two good-sized bedrooms sit at the rear of the property with the master bedroom featuring a fitted wardrobe and the bathroom is just next door. Also available to reserve is the delightful Rose Cottage. Proving to be just as romantic as it sounds, Rose Cottage is a three-bedroom semi-detached home with a well-considered layout. Stepping through the front door, with its hand-made ironwork porch and scalloped canopy, potential homeowners will walk through to the open plan kitchen / dining area to reach the spacious living room. Here, patio doors flood the room with light and give access to a quintessential English garden. Viewers of Rose Cottage can just imagine sitting here on a warm summer’s day, letting the gentle breeze and the floral fragrance flow into the home. The powder room leads off the hallway and clever storage space provides a home for muddy boots, raincoats and the dog lead. Upstairs, a large landing is waiting to invite home hunters to discover what is behind each of the four doors. Three bedrooms await including a tranquil master bedroom complete with a fitted wardrobe and luxury en-suite shower room with Villeroy & Boch ceramic ware. Bedroom two would make a welcoming guest room and bedroom three is ideal as a single bedroom, a peaceful study or relaxing snug room. The family bathroom and even more storage space complete this floor. Barry Stiles, Managing Director, noted: “We are delighted to be able to open our Fremington site again following the temporary closure due to the Coronavirus pandemic. We have opened for appointments only and look forward to once again welcoming home hunters to the site, helping them find their forever home that they can make memories in for years to come. “Our friendly Sales Executive Millie can tell you all about the new releases, including Carriage House and Rose Cottage which are now available to reserve. Built to last, each of our house styles in our Craft Collection is future-proofed, allowing you to grow into your new home. We are operating a strict social distancing policy within our bunnylounge and show home so please be aware that you will be required to stay two metres apart and use hand sanitiser during your visit. By booking an appointment, you will have the opportunity to receive 1-1 attention as you consider your next move to Foxglove Lane. We look forward to welcoming you soon!” Foxglove Lane is a collection of 37 new homes, some of which come under bunnyhomes’ affordable homes contribution. The site will offer a collection of two, three and four bedroom generously proportioned properties with a magic mix of seclusion and accessibility. Foxglove Lane is close to all of the local amenities Fremington has to offer, including independent shops, restaurants and leisure facilities. The thriving market town of Barnstaple is close by, or if it’s peace and quiet you’re after, wander down the winding lane until you reach the beautiful woodland that surrounds Foxglove Lane, or meander up the Tarka Trail. Carriage House is currently available from £220,000 with Rose Cottage available from £285,000. The Government’s Help to Buy Equity Loan scheme is available to use on these Georgian-style new homes. To book your appointment with a Foxglove Lane Sales Executive, visit www.bunnyhomes.com, email foxglovelane@bunnyhomes.com or call 01271 411014. Foxglove Lane is located off Yelland Road, Fremington, Nr. Barnstaple, EX31 3FF. The show home and bunnylounge are open for appointments only.
The Covid-19 crisis offers the opportunity to rethink the way we design our cities, said speakers at Planning and Development to Enhance Health and Wellbeing, the third of Polypipe Civils & Green Urbanisation’s e-Roadshow events on Realising Resilience. Focused on Birmingham, the first UK city to join the global Biophilic Cities network, the event showcased how England’s largest unitary authority has set itself challenging targets linked to increasing green assets, reducing carbon emissions, and improving the health and wellbeing of its residents. In her introduction, Vikki Woodhouse – National Specification Sales Manager at Polypipe Civils & Green Urbanisation – outlined the importance of multi-functional green assets and the need for a circular approach that reuses rainwater, rather than a linear one. “We need a combined approach, with early engagement from the project management and design teams,” she said. “Covid 19 has brought to the fore the inequality of access to green spaces,” said Simon Needle, Principal Ecologist and Arbologist at Birmingham City Council, showing the city’s Multi Challenge Map which reveals how deprived communities have fewer green assets nearby. He also explained some of the city’s targets including net zero carbon by 2030 and a 25% canopy cover for every ward in the city. Jane Findlay, Director of Fira Landscape and president-elect of the Landscape Institute, talked about the importance of evidence-based design, an approach pioneered in the health sector, where views of nature have been shown to increase healing and boost mental health. She highlighted research by Natural England and Nottingham University which shows that living within 300m of a green space promotes physical activity, improves mental health and increases life expectancy. Lastly, Peter Wharton, former tree protection officer and Director of Wharton Natural Infrastructure Consultants, asked the question: “ Is it easier to sell houses in a well-planned and delivered environment, where buildings, green infrastructure and people coexist to deliver sustained benefits?” Of course the answer is ‘yes’ but that doesn’t mean it is happening, he revealed. Lack of early collaboration, especially with the right people i.e. arborculturalists or ecologists, meant developers were missing out on the ‘value’ of green assets. He cited one development where 86% of the new trees planted had died within five years. He recommended measures such as Capital Asset Valuation of Amenity Trees (CAVAT), a method for managing trees as public assets rather than liabilities, be adhered to. London is the virtual venue for the next Polypipe e-roadshow on 7th July and will explore the theme of Shaping City Policy to Support Biodiversity and Green Urbanisation. The final event of the series concentrates on Scotland and the challenge of Delivering Active Travel through Integrated Green Infrastructure. All of the guest speaker presentations for the Birmingham e-Roadshow event can be viewed at https://www.polypipe.com/news For information on the full programme and details of how to register visit: – https://www.polypipe.com/roadshow-2020 Pic caption: Research shows that living within 300m of a green space promotes physical activity, improves mental health and increases life expectancy. Image shows Five Ways, Central Birmingham.
Digitalisation and autonomous processes are propelling the manufacturing industry into a Fourth Industrial Revolution. With technology providing connectivity and data-driven insights to the manufacturing sector, can it also solve challenges facing the construction industry? Here, Nick Cowley, managing director at window and door supplier to the offsite construction industry, Euramax, explains how offsite construction allows building project managers to use the infrastructure of the manufacturing industry to overcome industry challenges. Offsite construction involves fabricating the elements of a building under controlled factory conditions, in a location away from the installation site. This approach takes advantage of the modular building method, where separate units are manufactured individually then brought to site and joined together. The modules of the building include walls, roofs, windows and doors and even entire rooms, such as bathroom pods or contained accommodation units. Offsite construction is increasing in popularity, with the Lloyds Bank annual housebuilding report finding that 68 per cent of housebuilders are investing in modular housing. With its ability to significantly shorten construction time, without compromising building quality, offsite construction has the potential to solve many of the challenges facing the building industry. Boost Productivity The main reasons for productivity difficulties in the building industry can be pinpointed to a lack of technological advancement and inefficient use of time. This has been overcome in the manufacturing industry through digitalised processes and paperless manufacturing. Many manufacturers have discarded their paper trail of information and adopted a seamless digital system, which connects all equipment and processes together. These systems can display real time data for easy monitoring and can synchronise processes to maximise productivity and efficiency. Factory workers now have a stream of data at their fingertips, cutting wasted time searching for information. In contrast, ask someone to describe the equipment of a construction project manager and common answers are likely to include a clipboard, pen and paper. In fact, around 40 per cent of construction companies still use manual recording methods rather than a digital system. This outdated process encourages mistakes and misinterpretation on construction sites, and falls far behind the advanced digital recording and monitoring systems used in the manufacturing industry. Updates to daily reports, punch lists and blueprints can get buried and lost when recorded on paper, meaning keeping track of information is a challenging task. During offsite construction, automated production techniques use advanced robotics that are connected by the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) in order to manufacture building parts. This allows superior monitoring of production lines, which can be used to streamline processes and keep a clear and comprehensive record, minimising mistakes and reducing production time. The Buildoffsite report found that offsite building can reduce onsite construction time by up to 30 per cent for large buildings, such as office blocks and supermarkets, and 60 per cent for smaller projects, such as schools. Increase profit margins A large number of construction companies operate on the low margin, high volume business model, with margins as low as 1.5 per cent considered a normality. This is largely driven by the fact that low offers win business, so low margins are necessary to survive in the competitive industry. With margins being so low, construction projects are commonly focused on getting the job done as quickly and as cheaply as possible. Setting unreasonably short time frames inevitably has negative repercussions. Pressurised workers can become stressed, which is not only damaging to their mental health, but also increases the chances of disrupting and potentially dangerous mistakes. Unrealistic project deadlines can cause corners to be cut, so work is of a lower quality and health and safety concerns become an afterthought. Building components of the construction project offsite can save money and in turn increase profit margins. Manufacturing facilities can use automated equipment to produce materials faster and require less manual labour. The resourceful manufacturing techniques also mean less supplies are wasted. By only transporting the constructed components to the building site when needed, the probability of damage from weather conditions or onsite equipment is also reduced. It’s important to work with a trusted supplier that can deliver high quality products to ensure a successful modular build project. Euramax is experienced in supplying quality PVCu windows and doors for modular buildings. Offering a range of products that can be transported from the factory and installed in pre-fabricated construction sites across the country, Euramax’s PVCu windows are easy to install, providing a cost effective solution that meets security and energy efficiency requirements. The construction industry is key to UK infrastructure, yet its productivity and profit margins can risk falling behind the fast pace of the manufacturing industry. However, it’s possible to merge the two. Offsite construction allows housebuilders to benefit from industry’s advancements by bringing construction to the manufacturing plant. The use of automated equipment connected to the IIoT enables faster production with a comprehensive digital record — helping boost project productivity and increase profit margins.
FirstPort, the UK’s largest residential property manager, has today announced a transaction which will see it combining with leading property and asset manager, Mainstay Group. For FirstPort and Mainstay customers, clients, employees, management, and supply partners day-to-day operations will remain unchanged. Completion of the transaction only remains subject to approval by the Financial Conduct Authority. Last year FirstPort welcomed Equistone Partners Europe as its new majority investors to support its continued growth, investment in a comprehensive digital transformation programme and make further enhancements to its customer service offering. To date, FirstPort has completed two previous transactions, strengthening its team and service offerings with the acquisitions of Barratt London’s property management company, BRAM, in 2019 and Linden Homes’ property management provider, Pentland Estate Management, in 2017. For Mainstay Group, 2019 was a significant year with the business achieving record growth, winning appointments on a number of high-profile developments and securing a national, multi-million-pound portfolio. Nigel Howell, CEO of FirstPort, commented: “We are delighted to be joining forces with Mainstay to deliver the very best property and asset management services for our customers and clients. Mainstay’s achievements and track record are impressive, and we are proud to be welcoming them into the FirstPort group. This is a great milestone for both businesses, which will see us learning from each other and working together to continue to drive the highest industry standards and realise new market opportunities.” Luke Sanders, Group Managing Director of Mainstay, commented: “This is an exciting opportunity for the Mainstay Group to continue to deliver a market-leading service, while benefitting from the skills, expertise and efficiencies available by being part of a larger group. I am very much looking forward to working with FirstPort, as the right partner for our next phase of growth and to help build on Mainstay’s achievements and successes to date.” About FirstPort FirstPort is the UK’s leading full-service residential property manager, caring for more than 196,000 homes in England, Wales and Scotland across 3,900 developments. With over four decades of experience and 3,200 employees, FirstPort works with developers, investors, freeholders and over 300 Resident Management Companies. FirstPort is a member of the Association of Residential Managing Agents (ARMA), the Association of Retirement Housing Managers (ARHM), and Property Managers Association Scotland (PMAS). It holds a Five Star Rating from the British Safety Council, has been awarded the British Safety Council’s prestigious Sword of Honour, is an accredited Safe Agent and belongs to The Property Ombudsman. FirstPort holds a Silver Investors in People accreditation and has been named as one of the UK’s Top Employers by the Top Employers’ Institute for the last two consecutive years. www.firstport.co.uk About Mainstay Mainstay Group is an independent residential property and asset management company providing leading services to over 80,000 homes and award-winning commercial facilities management across the UK. Established in 2000, Mainstay works with many of the top 20 homebuilders, institutional investment funds, landed estates, resident management companies and private investors to maximise value and drive better returns by pioneering a community and people centric, empowered approach to service and innovation. Mainstay is accredited to ISO9001 and OHSAS18001, is a member of the Association of Residential Managing Agents (ARMA) and is a proud Investor in People. www.mainstaygroup.co.uk
Referencing a recent CBRE report, CEO Paul Oberschneider discusses how the already rising participation of non-bank lenders will be even more instrumental in the months ahead. The coronavirus pandemic has hit the housing market hard but this does not mean that developers looking for financing are out of options, says Hilltop Credit Partners, adding how a combination of factors will translate into specialist finance providers coming to the forefront for filling in the funding gap. The West-End fund is a specialist funding partner for small and mid-sized residential property developers and house builders in the UK. A recent CBRE report which references a Cass Business School report heavily, clearly states that the development finance availability in the UK has contracted since the COVID-19 outbreak with fewer lenders considering new opportunities and most focusing on their existing loan books. The determining factors involved are the natural risk associated with development finance where the exit dates and values are uncertain, valuations becoming more ambiguous with materiality clauses being included, banks being scrutinised for tighter capital adequacy norms and other issues with the development like delays or contractor insolvencies. But in a vote of confidence for ‘other lenders’, the reports show that these lenders, primarily the debt funds, have provided significant capital last year and recorded a 4 percent increase in loan origination to £7.9 billion. Talking about the report and the changing face of development finance in 2020, Paul Oberschneider, Founder and CEO of Hilltop Credit Partners, said: “The UK housing market is riddled with a supply-demand mismatch. As highlighted in the CBRE report, importance of non-bank lenders will continue to rise in the post Covid-19 world as high street banks with legacy portfolios will become more risk averse and recede from the market to better manage their balance sheets. Banks will also expect developers to provide more equity upfront as leverage will be curtailed to more conservative levels.” “Securing funding has been needlessly time-consuming and expensive for the SME housing developers. Even in a pre Covid-19 world, developers were required to navigate complex arrangements in the borrowing stack and raise funds from different lenders because banks were not ready to stretch enough. These challenge are set to become more prominent in the post Covid-19 world due to the factors listed above. For the standpoint of a developer, this means reduced access to capital, increased costs due to various professional advisors being involved and delays which will be inevitable if you have to deal with multiple parties.” “At Hilltop, we are determined to support UK’s housing developers in what is one of the most turbulent economic climates we have seen in our lifetime. We were established with a mission to ease access to funding for SME developers and our products reflect that. We go that extra mile compared to the market at large, let alone high-street banks, and we also assist developers on the equity side providing a comprehensive one-stop solution. This is because we understand the uncertainty facing the housing market at present and are cautiously committed to funding high-quality assets and developers. Our recent £8.6m funding for residential development in Brondesbury, London and plans of disbursing £75m in the coming months is a testament of our commitment to the UK housing market, and especially the SME housing developers.” Tiger Craft, Partner and CFO, adds: “There will always be a demand for homes and no lockdown or financial challenge is going to change this reality. To achieve this, we work closely with the developers and help them move quickly so they can secure sites, build homes, and sell them in a fast, cost-efficient manner. As stated in the CBRE report, the best sponsors with the strongest schemes will find finance regardless and unlike traditional lenders, we operate like a private equity house. We effectively back the management team therefore our credit underwriting is more robust and our interests are always aligned with the development team as the focus is on a successful exit.”
PERMAROOF, the UK’s leading importer and distributor of Firestone RubberCover, is celebrating its most successful May and June in its 19-year history despite the nationwide challenges faced by all businesses due to the coronavirus pandemic. With a 26% increase in sales in May 2020 compared to 2019 and a staggering 86% increase when comparing June 2019 to 2020, it’s been two amazing consecutive months for the Derbyshire-based team with the likelihood of a healthy July too. This follows reports of 2019 being its most successful year to date with 24,000 orders completed: the highest figure in its history. Adrian Buttress, managing director of Permaroof, attributes the success to a fast response to Covid-19, investment in an already solid team, and diversification into new services and products. Adrian said: “Despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic – such as supply issues, merchants closing, and roofing projects being delayed or put on hold – our team has managed to buck the trend and deliver amazing results that are a true testament to the service they offer, as well as the strong relationships we have with customers nationwide.” After increasing its warehouse capacity in 2019, as well as broadening its offering by acquiring The Skylight Company and becoming the sole distributor of Permafence, the team met the challenges posed by coronavirus rapidly and decisively. Additional stock had already been purchased in preparation for Brexit, ensuring ample supply to meet any level of demand from contractors, many of which still needed to fix damaged and leaking roofs in need of urgent maintenance. New products were also added to Permaroof’s portfolio including a disinfectant spray to help customers work safely, while investment in the team was crucial with a strong focus on marketing and a new marketing co-ordinator recruited to push out a formal communications strategy. At the same time, Permaroof adapted its offering to work closely with modular companies for the first time, supplying fast flat roofing solutions to four emergency NHS projects in the first month of lockdown. Adrian continued: “Clear communication to both staff and customers has been vital. Pushing forward with marketing has allowed us to do this while reinforcing our brand and putting out messages of stock availability at a really important time. I have no doubt that this has been crucial to breaking our sales records during the UK lockdown. “I hope that our success proves that there is still opportunity out there for UK SMEs and that the building and construction sector is ready to bounce back and thrive. We’re certainly committed to supporting both the contractors and merchants we work with and hope that the next quarter is as positive for them all.” Permaroof offers products and services that provide “permanent solutions to age old problems.” They offer this through a variety of products – its central offering of Firestone RubberCover EPDM roofing – as well as artificial grass through its Permalawn brand and maintenance free fencing via Permafence. This is in addition to Permatile promenade tiles, skylights and rooflights through The Skylight Company and most recently, steel framed buildings. For more information on Permaroof UK, please visit www.permaroof.co.uk or call 01773 608839.
The employee-owned business has added standard insulated box liners to its thermal range. This range is ideal for getting goods from A to B in a temperature-controlled environment at cost-effective prices. Commonly used in food and drink and pharmaceutical industries. Insulated box liners help to maintain the inner temperature of goods throughout their transit periods and when used in conjunction with our gel packs or ice sheets, the products inside will maintain the desired temperature for between 12 and 24 hours. Offering an adequate amount of thermal protection and compromised from BOPP (biaxially-oriented polypropylene) outer foil layer, to reflect heat away from the products and laminated 70-micron double-lined bubble wrap inner, providing an interval of insulation and cushioning your chilled goods will be protected in transit. For more information on Kite Packaging and its range of products and services, please visit kitepackaging.co.uk.
Modular building experts are supporting the education sector through COVID-19, by offering health and safety solutions that will ease the process of returning to the classroom as lockdown measures are lifting. Supporting the return to education for primary and secondary schools, modular building experts, Elliott, are working to government guidelines and organisations to ensure students, teachers and parents return back to school feeling safe and protected by providing equipment, modular buildings, and further facilities. Currently across the UK the rules for schools are as follows: Small class groups to be organised Organise classrooms and other learning environments maintaining space between seats and desks where possible Reduce the movement around the school building Stagger assembly groups and break times, including lunch so that children are not moving around the school at the same time Consider how to keep small groups of children together throughout the day avoiding other groups Remove unnecessary items including soft furnishings from classrooms and other learning environments and store elsewhere Consider how parents, children and young people arrive at school Croftlands, Hilderthorpe, Arundel and Drayton Manor are amongst the schools that Elliott has supported so far. To ensure safety amongst staff, students and parents, Elliott’s extensive range of services will provide; further safety equipment for learning spaces and canteens, improve overall hygiene, the experience of arriving and collecting from school, and supplying extra storage. Safety equipment includes: Signage Hand soap dispensers & refills Hand sanitiser units Temporary fences Paper towel dispenser & refills Mobile sanitiser units Waste bins As well as equipment, single temporary classrooms, multi-storage large classroom facilities and separate storage units can all be used to help with social distancing measures. Elliott are looking to provide a range of modular school building solutions that can help staff and pupils operate with ease. Elliott’s Marketing Director, Trace Norton says, “We have provided a large number of solutions to support the education industry across the UK, with a hope that children return to school as safely and quickly as possible. “We are proud that our fast, reliable service has contributed and hope we can give parents across the country further peace of mind that their children are in a safe environment.”
Construction firm Beard has today begun the phased reopening of its offices, welcoming back staff who are struggling with the isolation of remote working. The move follows a successful week-long trial, with a range of safety measures implemented to ensure any risk of coronavirus infection is minimised. The majority of office-based employees will continue to work from home, in line with the guidance from government, but conversations with staff members have revealed that some feel they would benefit from the interaction of an office environment. More than 90 per cent of Beard sites remained operational throughout the ‘lockdown’ period and work has already resumed on all others. The lessons learned from adapting working practices on site have been instrumental in enabling the firm to reopen its offices safely. A dedicated project manager has been appointed for each of the firm’s offices in Swindon, Guildford, Oxford and Bristol. They have overseen the process of ensuring that staff can return to the office safely. Those wishing to do so have all signed a declaration that they have not experienced symptoms of Covid-19 and complete an induction on the safety measures they need to be aware of. Beard has also prepared a short video for staff to help them with the new working arrangements, and this has been made available via the firm’s YouTube channel: Clear signage has been put up in all buildings to help staff to keep a two-metre distance at all times, with provision for a rota system to ensure reduced occupancy. Other safety measures include a ban on the use of meeting rooms, with meetings continuing to be held remotely where possible, and in open areas when absolutely necessary, while maintaining social distancing. Mike Hedges, director of Beard’s Bristol office and with overall responsibility for health and safety, commented: “The health and wellbeing of our staff is our top priority. We are not requiring anyone to return to the office but we know from talking to staff that there are some – particularly those who live alone – for whom full-time remote working has been challenging. “Mental wellbeing is every bit as important as physical health. We want to do our utmost to cater for the varied needs our colleagues have, while ensuring they are protected from unnecessary risk of infection. “It has been particularly valuable in achieving this to draw on the experiences of colleagues who have continued to work on site. They have performed minor miracles in adapting to safer working practices to protect against Covid-19 and the firm is extremely grateful to them for their efforts.”