National construction equipment hire and services provider Speedy, has committed to creating equal opportunities for ex-servicemen and women and their families after signing the Armed Forces Covenant, a promise by the nation ensuring that those who serve or who have served in the armed forces, and their families, are treated fairly. Under the agreement, the leading hire firm has pledged to establish a tailored employment pathway for veterans by working with not-for-profit service Career Transition Partnership, and by recognising military skills and qualifications in interview processes. “Signing this covenant formalises the respect we have for those that come from armed forces backgrounds and underlines our commitment to supporting them in developing their future careers,” said Ellie Armour, HR director at Speedy. “Our veteran colleagues enrich our business with the training and skills they developed while serving their country, from project management to driving heavy goods vehicles, and we recognise our duty as a major employer to give back to armed forces communities nationwide.” The company, which already has a number of ex-service personnel in their ranks, is aiming to increase the number of employees from armed forces backgrounds. Having signed the Armed Forces Covenant it’s received the Bronze Award in the Employee Recognition Scheme, which evidences the tangible support an organisation offers to its armed forces community, with the company now progressing through silver towards its gold standard. The covenant was signed at the firm’s national support centre in Tamworth, where HR director Ellie Armour was joined by co-signatory Colonel Paul Gilby alongside veteran colleagues from across the company. Speedy joins other major employers in the construction industry including some of the UKs largest contractors in signing the covenant, signalling to ex-service men and women that they are armed forces friendly organisations at a time when almost one in five (17%) veterans in work say that finding the right job is very difficult*. The business has also committed to support its employees with family in the armed forces by upholding several principles that include sympathetically reviewing requests for leave surrounding partners’ overseas deployment and providing paid leave for employees whose loved ones are lost or injured in the line of duty. “Construction services and the armed forces share many complementary skill sets. It’s excellent to have Speedy’s support with the covenant. The company shows clear intent to help veterans across the country to build successful careers as they transition away from the military,” added Colonel Paul Gilby, co-signatory and Ministry of Defence representative. Speedy is the UK’s leading provider of tools, equipment, and plant hire services to a wide range of customers in the construction, infrastructure, and industrial markets, as well as to local trade and consumers. It operates from 200 sites across the UK and Ireland.

On World Mental Health Day, Quintain Living resident and international speaker Rob Wall hosted a hugely successful session – ‘Living by Priorities, Not Pressure’. Now, fellow resident and leading business psychologist Dannielle Haig is hosting a further session, designed to support anyone coping with burnout and help people build a resilient mindset. Quintain Living residents will learn how the lifestyle-led facilities such as gyms and gardens available in their building can help support their mental wellbeing. Scheduled for 27 October, the free-to-attend event will be open to all residents. Burnout is on the rise. An Indeed survey of 1,500 workers has found that 52% reported experiencing burnout in 2021, compared to 43% prior to the pandemic. Millennials are suffering the most, with burnout at 59% post-pandemic (and 53% before). However, Gen-Z is catching up fast, reporting 58% burnout at the time of the survey compared to 47% pre-pandemic. Gen-Xers however have seen the biggest leap in burnout rates, jumping from 40% before Covid to 54% currently, and even Baby Boomers are feeling the pressure, with their burnout rate increasing from 24% to 31%. Overall, 67% of workers across all ages believe that burnout has worsened during the pandemic. An understanding of this, along with a long-term commitment to ensure the wellbeing of residents, is what is driving Quintain Living to organise mental health sessions for residents. Dannielle Haig’s session on 27 October will share tips and tools on dealing with burnout. It will also focus on using the facilities available within Quintain Living’s buildings to help build a resilient mindset. The award-winning management company, which oversees the rental of more than 3,000 apartments in Wembley Park, is known for its innovative rental offering. At Canada Gardens, for example, the urban country vibe and pace of life is embodied through extensive greenery (both indoors and out), a cosy clubhouse, a library, designer work-from-home sheds, an all-wooden pirate ship playpark, allotments and much more. Neighbouring building The Robinson, on the other hand, offers eclectic homes – the style is described as ‘contemporary, mid-century, art deco and retro kitsch’ – and residents can enjoy the use of everything from a spa caravan and work-from-home campervans to a rooftop slide, a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party Garden and the John Lennon-inspired peace garden. The burnout session will be shaped around creating practical coping mechanisms that use Quintain Living’s amenity offering to the full, whether that be taking time to tend to vegetables in your allotment or lightening your mood by using the more playful facilities.

Two lifesaving defibrillators have been donated by Cavanna Homes to the family and school of 12-year-old Ella Halfyard who was diagnosed with a serious heart condition earlier this year. One defibrillator has been installed at Torquay Girls’ Grammar School and the other is portable, which means that Ella and her family have peace of mind whether she’s at home or out and about. Cavanna Homes’ Sales Advisor Kevyn Dixon and Site Manager Willie Whitelaw, first became aware of Ella’s condition when her parents Lizzie and Tom Halfyard reserved a new five-bedroom home at Lyme View in the village of Holcombe near Dawlish. On the day they were due to collect the keys to their new home at the end of March, the couple were contacted by their daughter’s school to say an ambulance had been called for Ella. As Lizzie explained: “The alarm was raised because she’d been unresponsive at school and although she recovered, this brought home how serious her condition is and how vital it is that she has a defibrillator with her at all times.” The Halfyard’s were first alerted to Ella’s condition after she noticed some changes in her heart rate at school when resting, which was also confirmed by her PE Teacher. As a precaution, the keen young sportswoman had a temporary ECG monitor fitted at Torbay Hospital in February, but later the same week she was rushed to Bristol Royal Hospital for Children who were very concerned by the results. As Lizzie recalled: “The results from the monitor flagged that Ella’s heart was beating too fast and could stop at any minute. It was a very scary time for us and so unexpected.” Ella’s condition is now managed by beta-blockers which slow her heart rate and she will continue to be monitored for the next three years. “Ella is incredibly sporty and has always loved playing football, so having to give up sport has been very hard for her,” said Lizzie. Cavanna Homes purchased both defibrillators after learning that the family were trying to fundraise for the lifesaving equipment. Kevyn Dixon said: “As a Sales Advisor, you become close with the new homeowners and once I found out about Ella and everything her and her family have been through, it really struck a chord with me. I put the idea forward about purchasing the defibrillators for the family to the Senior Management Team and it was a unanimous yes!” Keith Miller, Managing Director added: “This is exactly the sort of thing we’re proud to do by giving back to the communities we build in and to support our new homeowners. We hope that by purchasing this vital piece of equipment for Ella and her school it will provide added peace of mind and allow Ella to continue thriving at school.” The equipment has been life-changing for Ella and provided reassurance for her parents Lizzie and Tom, and her two sisters Megan (15) and Rosie (7). “Ella can now attend school trips and join in activities without feeling like she’s missing out,” said dad Tom. “This was incredibly generous of Cavanna Homes and we’ll always be grateful to them,” he added. “We also want to say how much we love our new home”, said Lizzie. “As a new build, there’s no need to do any DIY which has freed up our time to focus on our family and Ella’s condition. As the youngest of 12 siblings, I can’t wait to get the family over to celebrate us moving in!”

Top ten national homebuilder Keepmoat Homes has signed an Armed Forces Covenant in a virtual ceremony – it is a commitment from the Doncaster-based company to support former and current serving military personnel in the workplace. The Armed Forces Covenant was signed with the Head of Reserve, Commodore Martin Quinns and commits Keepmoat Homes to supporting all those who serve in the Royal Naval, the Army and the Royal Air Force, whether Regular or Reserve, those who have served in the past, and their families. The Covenant details an agreement that no member of the Armed Forces community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen, and consideration that in some circumstances special treatment may be appropriate. The agreement includes a clause in which Keepmoat Homes has agreed to provide service leavers with work placement experience with the intention of assisting them in gaining future employment upon completion, or when a vacancy becomes available, supporting the employment of veterans and recognising military skills and qualifications in their recruitment and selection processes, while working with the Career Transition Partnership to support the employment of service leavers. The national housebuilder has also committed to supporting employees who choose to become members of the Reserve Forces by providing additional leave to support their training and deployment, as well as offering flexibility in granting leave for, and supporting the employment of, Service spouses and partners by signing up to the Force Families Job Site. The final clause in the covenant details that Keepmoat Homes will support employees who are volunteer leaders in military cadet organisations, granting additional leave where appropriate and actively encouraging members of staff to become volunteer leaders in cadet organisations. Commodore Martin Quinn, Head of Reserves in the Ministry of Defence, said: “The Armed Forces Covenant is a commitment that those who serve, and who have served, and their families are treated fairly and are never disadvantaged in their lives because of military service. “The support of employers is vital and making a public pledge of support makes a statement to the Armed Forces community that they are valued by society, and it encourages other organisations to do the same. “Employers can reap real rewards from employing military personnel – the skills and training they bring to civilian employers includes nationally recognised business and technical qualifications, as well as leadership, teamworking and problem-solving skills proven in the most challenging of environments. “I’d like to thank everyone at Keepmoat Homes for being supportive of the armed Forces community and, in particular, two of the pledges you have made. The first, your support to employees who have chosen to be members of the Reserve Forces, allowing an extra ten days of paid leave to support their training and deployment. And also providing service leavers with work placement experience with the intention of assisting them in gaining future employment within Keepmoat. “On behalf of the Chief of the Defence Staff and everybody here at the Ministry of Defence, I thank you and your colleagues at Keepmoat Homes for signing the Armed Forces Covenant.”

British Land, Berkeley, and Multiplex team up to clean up Hyde Park and the Grand Union Canal Marble Arch London BID assembled volunteers from some of London’s biggest businesses to celebrate the Great British Spring Clean. As part of its ongoing commitment to the local community, Marble Arch London BID, brought its members together to participate in two in-person events. Working together the 22 volunteers helped to clear cow parsley from Hyde Park’s meadows and remove plastic waste and debris from the Grand Union Canal. Volunteers from businesses including British Land, Berkeley, Hunter Boots and GIC ventured out on GoBoats, canoes and paddleboards to clean up the canal. Meanwhile, employees from Multiplex, Hunter Boots and British Land worked with The Royal Parks in Hyde Park to pull up cow parsley, enabling other flower species to grow which help bees, butterflies, and other insects to thrive. The Great British Spring Clean 2021 which saw volunteers across the UK make 1.15 million miles of British outdoor spaces cleaner and greener, was also a great opportunity for colleagues to reunite after over a year of home working. The event marked the start of Marble Arch London BID’s in-person community events after many months of virtual volunteering throughout the pandemic. Through its Community Programme, the BID matches volunteers with charities and schools to undertake practical challenges such as decorating or gardening, as well as skill sharing. Kay Buxton, Chief Executive, Marble Arch London BID, comments: “We are a champion for business and community and our goal is to unite the two to create a welcoming and hospitable environment for those who live, work and visit our district. The Great British Spring Clean is a regular fixture in our calendar and we would like to thank all the volunteers for getting their boots on to support an event which is crucial to maintaining our beautiful outdoor spaces. These green spaces have become a vital escape for many Londoners who have found themselves feeling isolated at home during the pandemic, and it was fantastic to see so many colleagues from across our member businesses reunite for the first time at this event. As restrictions ease, we look forward to hosting more in-person community events which will bring our members together to support the local area.” During the pandemic, the BID’s community programme also helped businesses to channel donations of surplus food, furniture, IT and office equipment, clothes, and homeware to local charities and food banks.

Smartroof is delighted to launch the Smartmove Challenge 2021 as a fun way to boost the physical and mental wellbeing of its staff, suppliers and customers, win prizes and raise funds to support the mental health charity Mind. At a time when our health and wellbeing has never been more important, the six month Smartmove Challenge hopes to get people moving for a healthier mind and body, whilst at the time raising much needed funds for the charity Mind, which provides support and advice for anyone experiencing mental health problems. Set to start on 1st April and end on 30th September 2021, the Smartmove Challenge comprises three activities – walking, cycling and running – with participants submitting their completed miles. Smartroof has a set a collective participant target of 250,000 miles in six months after which the company will donate £2500 to Mind. Its parent company The Keystone Group has committed to match the donation. “We are hoping the launch of Smartmove Challenge will motivate people to make meaningful and lasting changes to their health. The challenge will also raise vital funds to help Mind, a charity at the frontline of people’s mental health,” commented on the challenge, Kevin Sherlock of Smartroof. A monthly prize giveaway of an Apple SE Watch is on offer and a Smartroof Challenge 2021 certificate will be awarded to participants who complete a challenge for six consecutive months. Participants who sign up to the Smartmove Challenge will receive a branded sports towel, snood, water bottle and drawstring bag to use while enjoying all the benefits of increased activity. Mind helps the one in four people in the UK that experience a mental health problem every year. The money raised will fund their vital work including the Mind Infoline, advice services and the campaigning Mind does.