Under the Roof Avonside Staff Newsletter - June 2019

UNDER THE ROOF p ISSUE 10 JUNE 2019

UNDER THE ROOF Avonside’s In-House Branch-Wide Newsletter

TONY BURKE Group Managing Director

I’m delighted to welcome you all to this edition of the Newsletter. It comes at a time when we are inviting new members into the Avonside Team; our newly acquired business Mid-Kent Roofing are the latest company to join the Group and I’d like to extend my personal welcome to Rob & Lisa Smith and the team at MidKent.

The business is continuing to grow and perform in line with expectations and I’d like to thank each one of you for your contributions, I know you are all focussed to deliver our key goals.

This month’s column was actually compiled by Andrew Morley our Group Chief Operations Officer, and I’d like to thank him for taking this on.

As usual, there is lots of great information in the Newsletter and I hope you enjoy the read.

Tony Burke, Group Managing Director

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE u GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR, TONY BURKE u ANDREW MORLEY, GROUP CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER u AVONSIDE PROJECTS u PLOUGHCROFT PROJECTS u SBS ROOFING PROJECTS u BRACKNELL ROOFING PROJECTS u ACQUISITIONS u STAFF APPOINTMENTS u STAFF EVENTS u STAFF ACHIEVEMENTS u APPRENTICE AND TRAINEE NEWS u ROOFS FROM MY TRAVELS u CHARITY WORK u FANTASY FOOTBALL u MORE STAFF NEWS

UNDER THE ROOF

The Need to Invest for Success IN LAST EDITION’S COLUMN, WRITTEN BY AVONSIDE GROUP’S CEO TONY BURKE, HE COMMENTED UPON THE KNOCK-ON EFFECTS OF BREXIT ON THE SUBCONTRACT COMMUNITY, CITING THE UNCERTAINTY AND LACK OF TRANSPARENCY REGARDING BOTH MATERIALS SUPPLY AND PRICING AND THE DEMANDS OF LONG-TERM CONTRACTUAL COMMITMENT. — Our erstwhile representatives at Westminster have made no discernible progress since his last column.

The aforementioned scenario is most definitely not a platform for a sustainable business model, and I would reiterate Tony’s plea to all parts of the supply chain to think longer term in order to preserve the health of the end-to-end supply chain, because if any link becomes overtly damaged, then the whole supply chain suffers.

Aside from engaging in dialogue with our partners in both manufacturing and client base, as responsible businesses we have to assess what we can do directly to maintain the success of our individual businesses moving forward and to face both the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

HOW DO WE DO SO?

In my view, we have to both attract the best calibre of employee available to us, and thereafter we must invest in and develop them to their maximum performance.

Let me firstly point out that this is not a column addressing recruitment and remuneration — that is a subject in itself.

By a commitment to investing in our people to develop them, it is a recognition that the best businesses prosper as a result of a long-term strategy to ensure that members of staff are better trained, have a clearer direction and are more highly motivated than their competitors. In this way, they can drive a business forward.

Training and development cost time and resources — it’s my view that the CITB training levy is a welcomed initiative but somewhat narrow in its focus intended to release funds for the purpose of training and development, that may benefit by broadening its remit to all staff.

Notwithstanding that perspective, we each have a responsibility to improve our people’s ability to

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respond to the challenges of a dynamic and challenging sector, to which we must add the pace of technological change that is reshaping business practices and capabilities at an ever-increasing pace.

Within every business, there needs to be a clear view by each department as to how it wants to operate, the technology that can support this, and how to identify the ‘gap’ in the knowledge of our people to take us there.

The ‘gap’ is the fundamental challenge for us all, and whilst the ongoing need to recruit and develop the technical skills our industry requires through increased apprenticeships is a subject that has been covered many times in this column — and that all the Senior Management team at Avonside feel passionate about — this is only a part of the equation.

We also have to look at all those areas of staff and management to ensure that we have the best people, and we develop those people and retain them, so we have a ‘win-win’ situation.

We are in the early stages of the Technological Revolution and are only just beginning to realise the implications of artificial intelligence, microengineering and biometrics, which will impact every area of our lives and business.

Taking advantage of these developments usually happens for early adopters, and in order to do so, we must have a strategy to build these opportunities into our business models and ensure our teams are thoroughly prepared to deliver.

These gains will allow us to think more creatively about the supply chain issues we face, allow us to provide better value-added services to our client base — better health and safety, improved logistics and superior quality of delivery.

Many areas of the supply chain are already thinking about these issues and striving for greater efficiency — areas such as modular and off-site building will present challenges to the traditional methods of construction, and we each need to be able to respond or, even better, lead in these critical areas.

In this fomenting environment where change is taking place all around us and at ever-increasing speed, focussed and related development of our people is the only sustainable protection we have against being left behind.

Andrew Morley, Group Chief Operations Officer

UNDER THE ROOF AVONSIDE PROJECTS

Avonside Midlands Flat Roofing Overcome Logistical Challenges THE PROBLEM: WATER INGRESS

Avonside Midlands Flat Roofing were asked to help client Wilkinson Environmental find a cost-effective and viable solution for Biffa’s High Wycombe waste recycling office’s leaky roof. The building suffered from water ingress as a result of the existing EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) system having failed. Computers were kept on the top floor of the office building, so it was vital that the issue was solved promptly and efficiently.

THE SOLUTION

After Avonside Midlands carried out surveys of the site to assess the client’s needs, scale of the issue and scope of the project, they proposed installation of the RENOLIT PVC Single Ply system (total surface area 700m²) as a viable and cost-effective solution, with a 20-year warranty that met the client’s requirements.

With their proposal accepted, the Midlands team began installing a 1.5mm-thick light-grey RENOLIT PVC Single Ply ALKORPLAN system. The membrane was fastened mechanically. While RENOLIT supplied the main roofing accessories, the fixings manufacturer was Fixfast Ltd, and the other products used in the project were by Olympic. The installation was successfully completed, headed up by the Project Lead, Matthew Savage, who is L2 NVQ single ply qualified.

LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES

As the Biffa waste recycling building was still a functioning office whilst Avonside Midlands staff worked on-site, they had to be considerate and keep noise to a minimum. Part of the project involved drilling, and the noise restrictions meant they couldn’t drill at certain times. The Midlands team worked around the office workers, who equally worked around the team by sometimes using laptops and working in a different location.

Parking was also limited on the site due to it being in use by office workers. Scaffolding needed to be erected, which Wilkinson Environmental collaborated with Avonside Midlands on, organising the scaffolding for the team as well as providing a forklift to get all the necessary materials up on the roof conveniently and efficiently in one day. The scaffolding did take up some car parking spaces, so efficiency was vital.

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TICK TOCK!

Due to the site being a functioning office, completing the project to a high standard in the designated 3-week schedule was imperative so staff could have access to car parking spaces again. Avonside Midlands are proud to say the job was largely completed in 2 and a half weeks, ahead of schedule.

AVONSIDE MIDLANDS MEAN GREEN!

The team opted to avoid stripping the original roofing system, so the old materials didn’t have to go to the landfill. Instead, they overlaid the new waterproof system and avoided leaving the building exposed to the elements.

SAFETY FIRST!

Health and safety were big priorities for the team, especially as they were working on a site with offices in operation. All labourers were fully inducted in terms of Health and Safety, plus all the relevant risk assessments were carried out. Regular Toolbox talks were had with labourers and all staff, addressing issues like the safety aspects of working at height.

UNDER THE ROOF AVONSIDE PROJECTS

Avonside Cobsen-Davies Bring a Ray of Sunshine to Arun Projects Apartment Buildings AVONSIDE COBSEN-DAVIES SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED A SINGLE PLY ROOFING PROJECT ON APARTMENT BUILDINGS FOR ARUN PROJECTS, THE MAIN CONTRACTOR. —

HIGH-QUALITY PRODUCTS USED

20nr Sun pipes, 16 “Light weight 250” and 4 “Light weight 520” from manufacturer Lightway, were installed by Cobsen-Davies’ in-house sheeting and cladding team.

Sarnafil G410-15EL in light grey was mechanically fixed with heat-welded laps. The effective thickness of the main covering was 1.5mm with a standard lacquered finish. The Sarnafil G410-15EL membrane was mechanically fixed to all upstands including peel-stop bars and stainless-steel fixings as per manufacturer’s recommendations. The upstands had to be no lower than 150mm in height to conform to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Sarnafil 500E, a polythene Vapour Control Layer, was applied to the timber deck. SarnaTherm S 140mm foil-faced flat insulation board was also mechanically fixed through to the timber deck using Sarna fixing plates and carbon fixings (achieving a U-Value of 0.15 W/m2K).

In addition, 2nr Sarnafil rainwater scupper box outlets were fixed and sealed, and Sarnafil SarnaTred 600 x 600 walkway tiles glued and welded, to the main field area.

As well as fixings from Sarna Fixings, other products used included powder-coated aluminium copings from manufacturer Skyline that were made bespoke to suit. They were measured and pressed to suit various widths of parapet and then powder-coated to ensure the finish met the client’s RAL requirements.

The aluminium element of the Skyline coping ensured its durability and longevity, with the life expectancy of aluminium being up to 40 years in rural/suburban areas and up to 25 years in industrial/marine areas.

Aluminium is also 100% recyclable.

Upon completion of the project, Avonside CobsenDavies issued a 20-year amortised product and workmanship guarantee on project completion.

GOING GREEN WITH SOLAR PRODUCTS

It was specified in the original Bill of Quantity that Avonside Cobsen-Davies install a solar master solar tube. These sun tubes, although not entirely new, are still regarded as innovative in the sense that they provide natural daylight rather than artificial light and are eco-friendly. Due to the reflective layers from the pure silver and glass light diffuser, the sunlight delivered through the sun tubes doesn’t lose its natural colouring and behaviour.

As Lightway state on their website, natural sunlight can impact a person’s mood for the better (sunlight stimulates the production of serotonin in the body, which makes people feel happier), supports the ability >>>

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UNDER THE ROOF to learn and can influence people’s performance.

To reduce their carbon footprint throughout the project, the Cobsen-Davies team took measures to cut the number of vehicle movements by maximising bulk deliveries and engaging labour in Portsmouth so that workers were local to the site. They also complied fully with the Main Contractor’s waste management plan.

SAFE AND SOUND

Safety was maintained by using trained and competent labour. Risk Assessment and Method Statements (RAMS) were issued to the Main Contractor for approval, and the operatives were subsequently inducted into the RAMS. Operatives were made aware of what potential risks were on the project and how works were to be planned and carried out. The health-and-safety process and risk management were monitored by a combination of the Charge Hand, the Main Contractor’s Site Manager, and Avonside’s visiting Construction Management personnel.

Avonside Midlands’ Single Ply Roofing for KFC AVONSIDE MIDLANDS WERE ASKED BY CLIENT B&K BUILDING SERVICES TO INSTALL A RENOLIT WHITE PVC MEMBRANE SINGLE PLY SYSTEM ONTO A NEW KFC RESTAURANT AS PART OF A LARGER NEW BUILD SCHEME IN WHICH LOTS OF RETAIL UNITS WERE BEING BUILT FOR GROVEBURY RETAIL PARK IN LEIGHTON BUZZARD. — With a total square meterage of 450m², the KFC restaurant was the only building to have a flat roof in the entire retail park.

Led again by Project Lead Matthew Savage, the RENOLIT ALKORBRIGHT membrane was mechanically fastened by Avonside Midlands operatives. The thickness of the membrane was 1.5mm, whilst the finish was a brilliant white.

Fixfast Ltd provided the fixings that were used throughout the project. Other products that were used included Xtratherm insulation and Firth Steels’ S5+ metal decking.

TEAMWORK

Collaboration and strong communication were needed as Avonside Midlands’ staff were required to work closely with the cladding Contractor of the project.

They also met regularly with the design team on-site.

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GET YOURSELVES ORGANISED!

As the retail park was a large-scale project and site, the Avonside Midlands team made sure to organise their material delivery times so that they were coordinated with other trades’ delivery programmes.

AN EYE ON THE ENVIRONMENT

The RENOLIT ALKORBRIGHT PVC Single Ply system that was installed contained a white photovoltaic membrane which, being solar-reflective, reflected the sunlight, creating eco-friendly sustainable energy.

Avonside Midlands also took care to minimise waste when it came to off-cut materials.

UNDER THE ROOF AVONSIDE PROJECTS

Avonside Renewables Help Glasgow Get Onboard with Solar Early March saw Etienne Hilaire and his team at Avonside Renewables install the 36KWp (pictured) in central Glasgow using Sunfixings Limited E/W Tegra.

This photo was captured by Sunfixings’ Technical Sales Manager, Mark Poskitt.

Sika Sarnafil Installation at Felpham College It looks like the installation of the Sika Sarnafil mechanically fixed system went well at Felpham Community College, West Sussex, in April. Thanks, Sam Rogan, Major Projects Consultant and Specifier at Sika, for the photo! Avonside worked on the project alongside Principal Contractor, Sunninghill Construction Co. Limited.

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UNDER THE ROOF PLOUGHCROFT PROJECTS

Back to School for Ploughcroft!

WHEN THE MAIN ROOF OF EASTWOOD COMMUNITY SCHOOL IN KEIGHLEY, WEST YORKSHIRE, REACHED THE END OF ITS DESIGN LIFE, IT BEGAN TO LEAK IN VARIOUS PLACES. — Luckily, Ploughcroft stepped in and carried out a liquid plastic re-roof on the school’s 2000m² profile metal roof, a project that lasted 12 weeks. The bad condition of the roof membrane was typical throughout the entire roof area, so it was proposed that a Sika Liquid System be applied over the roof area to give a 15-year guarantee.

PREPARATION IS KEY!

Before the initial cleaning of the roof area, the Ploughcroft team had to remove all surface debris by hand, along with any visible growth and vegetation.

They also had to protect all outlets to make sure no debris entered the drainage system. All rust had to be removed by wire brushing, returning the surface to a bright, clean metal where possible. The operatives tightened any loose fixings (or replaced when necessary) and replaced any corroded, damaged or missing fixings.

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APPLYING THE SIKA LIQUID SYSTEM

Once the metal surface had been de-rusted, it was degreased using a solvent-based degreaser.

Ploughcroft then thoroughly rinsed it off with fresh water, applied Sika Liquid Plastics Metal Primer to all prepared exposed metallic surfaces, and allowed it to dry before coating it with Sikalastic 625 Liquid Metal & Asbestos Plastic System.

UNDER THE ROOF PLOUGHCROFT PROJECTS

Helping Customers Embrace EnergyEfficient Lifestyles!

PLOUGHCROFT ARE PLEASED TO REPORT THEIR SAVVY CUSTOMERS ARE REALLY GETTING ON BOARD WITH HOW THEY CAN BENEFIT FROM THE LATEST ENERGY-SAVING TECHNOLOGY. — One of their Halifax-based customers in particular took some very positive steps toward keeping their energy costs down. Here are three ways in which Ploughcroft helped make low energy bills a reality for their customer:

1) ECO ROOF™ THERMAL BLANKET

The customer’s existing loft conversion didn’t retain much heat until the Ploughcroft team installed their signature Eco Roof™ thermal blanket. Beneath a complete re-roof, this thermal blanket provides state-of-the-art, cost-effective roof insulation, using TLX Gold insulation. Throughout the project, Ploughcroft made sure to comply with Part L1B of the Building Regulations.

The Eco Roof™ thermal blanket gives the house’s main roof a U-Value of 0.6 W/m²K.

2) SOLAR PV INSTALLATION WITH BATTERY STORAGE

To help reduce the heating bills even further, Ploughcroft operatives also installed a Hybrid solar PV system with battery storage from Prime Hybrid Energy.

This enables the customer to store the solar energy that they don’t use during the day, meaning it can be used in the evening when they need it the most.

The new solar panels provide the happy customer with an incredible Solar Estimated Benefit of £23,000 over 25 years.

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3) ENERGY-EFFICIENT CONSERVATORY ROOF The final step to ultimate energy efficiency saw the Ploughcroft team replace the customer’s existing polycarbonate conservatory roof with their energyefficient solid alternative. With Eurocell’s Equinox tiled roof keeping more heat in, the customer can now enjoy their conservatory all year round, not just in the summer. Tiled conservatory roofs also eliminate leaks and insulate against outdoor noise such as rainfall, wind and wildlife, which often disturb those with polycarbonate roofs.

The tiled conservatory roof’s U-Value is 0.15 W/ m²K, roughly 10 times as efficient as an A-rated window!

UNDER THE ROOF PLOUGHCROFT PROJECTS

A Trip to A&E for Ploughcroft!

NO, NO ONE WAS INJURED THANKFULLY! — However, Ploughcroft has recently completed a large project in Greater Manchester — specifically, on top of Tameside Hospital in Ashton-under-Lyne (you may have seen some photos of this project progressing in the last newsletter). Tameside Hospital’s A&E department was suffering from water ingress, so Ploughcroft implemented a sustainable long-term solution.

Originally, the leaking structure was a felt roof with a plywood deck. In just under three months, Ploughcroft worked to resolve this issue as part of a large-scale, overall refurbishment of the hospital, resulting in a new, watertight flat roof that the A&E department can now benefit from.

ONLY THE BEST PRODUCTS USED

The new roof included new plywood decking, with an exterior grade of 18mm from Hanson Plywood Ltd, based in Halifax, West Yorkshire. The screws and fixings were supplied by SIG plc. The main covering comprised a dark-grey, 1.2mm-thick Firestone EPDM rubber membrane from Permaroof and a 120mmthick Thermaroof TR27 insulation board from Kingspan Group.

CONSIDERATE CONTRACTORS

Completing the work without too much disruption to the busy A&E department was a must. Throughout the project, Ploughcroft worked around a strict schedule to ensure minimum disruption. The delivery of materials made sure not to disrupt public access or ambulance traffic; instead, the team used specific access routes to the site and a Traffic Management System. They were also constantly mindful of noise throughout the project.

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UNDER THE ROOF SBS ROOFING PROJECTS

SBS Group Help Wakefield Get into the Swing of Solar!

WHEN WAKEFIELD & DISTRICT HOUSING APPOINTED SBS ROOFING AS ROOFING AND SOLAR THERMAL INSTALLATION CONTRACTOR, SBS GROUP COULDN’T WAIT TO BEGIN STRIPPING AND RENEWING THE PITCHED ROOF COVERINGS ON 102 TERRACED PROPERTIES, BUILT IN THE 1940S, IN FAVOUR OF PHOTOVOLTAIC ROOF PANELS. — The properties, located on Victoria Estate in Featherstone, were of solid wall construction and therefore had poor insulation detailing. The aim of the £2.5m (excluding materials) project was to implement a vibrant residential refurbishment that would transform the area and promote social integration, identity and pride in the Featherstone community.

SBS Group rose to the challenge! Works were

developed and completed in 2 phases. First, the roof renewals and solar PV were installed, and then an insulated render system was installed to further complement the design.

RESULTS

Overall, the completed project achieved: • Renewable power • Integrated solar electric roof slates • Reduced maintenance when compared with mounted panels • Home improvement benefits • Reduced CO2 emissions • Lower energy costs by helping to cut fuel poverty • The re-energisation of the aesthetics of the area.

Local Jobs Generated Through SBS Group Sheffield Project SBS WERE THRILLED TO FIGHT OFF STIFF COMPETITION FROM KEEPMOAT, KEIR, MEARS AND OTHER LARGE MANAGEMENT CONSORTIUMS BACK IN 2015, TO WIN A CONTRACT FROM SHEFFIELD CITY COUNCIL VALUED AT £10M. — The Arbourthorne roofing scheme, which was tendered through the EN (Efficiency North) Procurement framework, involved replacing the roofs of local authority semi-detached and townhouses located in South East Sheffield, covering an area of 1.74 square miles (4.5km2).

The existing rosemary roof coverings, felt and battens on the houses were stripped and replaced with a new non-breathable membrane under graded, treated battens and new Marley Edgemere tiles. Swish fascias and soffits were installed too, whilst SBS Group also helped deal with some aspects of the asbestos removal.

JOB CREATION

Before the project began, SBS Group, Sheffield City Council and Skills Made Easy developed an employments-and-skill plan for the project. The local

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job centre, SBS Group and Skills Made Easy advertised and held a job fair so local labour could be considered.

SBS Group also delivered a short presentation to the candidates, explaining all the different jobs that were available. Apprentices were also recruited in a similar way. Overall, both directly and indirectly, the project created 11 apprentice positions and 6 full-time employment opportunities and enabled existing staff to attain 4 further educational qualifications!

LIAISING WITH A DIVERSE POPULATION

Like most local authority housing, the population of the Arbourthorne estate is a diverse one with some residents having vulnerability and other support requirements. SBS worked alongside Sheffield City Council and local residentials groups to tailor support and services to meet the needs of the diverse population and was even awarded the NFRC Gold Award for Health and Safety following a stringent assessment process.

SBS provided a full Resident Liaison Service, which was highly successful throughout the contract, which only terminated in Spring 2019, following a successful 4-year project.

UNDER THE ROOF BRACKNELL ROOFING PROJECTS

Bracknell Roofing Transform Copsewood Grange & Lodge in Coventry THE EXQUISITE COPSEWOOD GRANGE MANOR HOUSE DATES BACK TO 1872 AND WAS TO BE TRANSFORMED INTO 17 LUXURY APARTMENTS FOR MORRIS HOMES. AFTER THE ROOFING SUBCONTRACTOR THAT INITIALLY WON THE SLATING AND ANCILLARIES WORK FOR THIS TRANSFORMATION REALISED THAT THE PROJECT WAS BEYOND THE SKILLS THEY COULD PROVIDE, MORRIS HOMES TURNED TO BRACKNELL ROOFING. — Morris Homes also tasked Bracknell Roofing with rejuvenating the 19th-century revivalist VictorianGothic-style Copsewood Lodge, a locally listed building — whilst preserving the roof’s 1870s original look.

A COLOURFUL PAST

Copsewood Grange is situated at the heart of a 200-acre estate in Coventry. There have been many owners of the estate over the years, including the General Electric Company, with several changes in the configuration of the land. Developments included factory units and a golf course. Part of the site also featured in the film The Italian Job, starring Michael Caine!

When the factories closed, many buildings on the estate fell into disrepair, most notably the previously handsome Copsewood Grange. Unfortunately, it also suffered serious vandalism, culminating in being set on fire. Sadly, vandalism also contributed to Copsewood Lodge falling into disrepair, landing it on the ‘at risk’ list at SAVE Britain’s Heritage.

The city council would not entertain the idea of demolishing the Lodge but offered planning permission for revitalising the property as a highspecification single dwelling of four bedrooms. A campaign was soon set up to save the Grange and the other historic buildings. Eventually, in 2015, housebuilder Morris Homes stepped in to buy the Grange and its nearby Lodge, vowing to preserve the intrinsic value of these historic buildings.

RISING TO THE CHALLENGE

The project would be a total rebuild to high specification throughout, requiring considerable expertise. Copsewood Grange had been constructed in red brick with a blue-slated roof. Ornate, it >>>

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UNDER THE ROOF

incorporated various architectural styles running across six bays. The entrance bay was marked with the presence of a grand stone portico with projecting roof.

There was a series of Gothic arches, and the second floor was pierced with a triple window set in a halfround arch, plus a gabled parapet. The building had been seriously damaged by fire, and there was nothing left of the roof, yet the planners and conservationists demanded a like-for-like rebuild. This would necessitate the gathering and scrutiny of old photographs and studying what few drawings could be found.

The project was made more challenging by a series of sequencing issues entirely beyond the control of Bracknell Roofing. There was six weeks’ work on the new roof, but it ended up taking almost a year. Long gaps appeared in the work programme, including a break of two months.

PRESERVING THE PAST

Conservation Officers also requested that the roof of the Lodge should look exactly the same as the 1870s original — which also meant studying old photographs and even older drawings. The work had to be checked and approved at every stage. This was an extraordinarily intricate task. The new roof had to look exactly the same as the old one. This went as far as matching the patchwork of coloured tiles exactly.

The company’s Regional Contracts Manager was heavily involved, always able to call on the support of the central management resources. The quality management system is registered to, and in accordance with, ISO 9001:2015.

IMPECCABLE WORKMANSHIP

The standard of workmanship on this most complex heritage project had to remain unfalteringly high. Not only did Morris Homes have to be satisfied throughout, but there was also the regularly present Conservation Officer to please. Special features of the

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workmanship of Bracknell Roofing’s team included extensive use of Code 6 lead and the creation of a Bishop’s Hat.

PRECISE PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Unusual sequencing with long periods of inactivity would have knocked many a sub-contractor off course, but Bracknell Roofing has sophisticated project management resources and always applied these flexibly. The client praised the response, and its Site Agent said that the scheme “looks absolutely stunning, and everyone involved should feel proud”. All work was done within budget.

UNDER THE ROOF ACQUISITIONS

AVONSIDE GROUP WELCOMES MID-KENT ROOFING AS AN EVER-GROWING AND THRIVING BUSINESS, WE’RE THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE THE PURCHASE OF MID-KENT ROOFING, BASED IN MAIDSTONE. — Mid-Kent Roofing has been successfully developed and run by Rob and Lisa Smith. The business excels at offering high-standard roofing, flat roofing and lead work services at competitive prices across the South East UK region.

They pride themselves on offering a complete “one-stop-shop” professionally managed service, employing a team of highly trained and skilled tradespeople, including Bricklayers, Scaffolders, Carpenters and Painters and Decorators to expertly cater for all project requirements.

Announcing the acquisition, Tony Burke Avonside’s

Group Managing Director said: “This acquisition is a strategically important one for our Group, as it gives us an established and credible presence in the Kent catchment, which has been an objective of ours for some time.”

He continued: “Rob and Lisa Smith and their team have an outstanding reputation based upon consistent delivery to the highest standards, their ethos and commitment offer an excellent match with core Avonside values.”

In response, Mr Smith commented: “This development is the obvious next step for the business and positions us for further growth and development with our key partner clients.”

We warmly welcome Rob, Lisa and their team to the Group!

NEW STAFF APPOINTMENTS

INTRODUCING SAM TEBBS! WE REALLY DO LIKE TO GROW OUR OWN HERE AT AVONSIDE! WE’D LIKE TO WISH SAM TEBBS, OUR NEW MANAGEMENT TRAINEE, A WARM WELCOME TO THE EVER-GROWING AND THRIVING AVONSIDE TEAM. — Sam successfully secured his position at Avonside following an intensive qualifying process. As a Management Trainee for the Group, he will gain valuable exposure to all the different and varied areas of the business throughout his training programme.

This will allow him to support the business as is appropriate and ultimately fast track him to fulfil a rewarding management role within the Group.

We’re thrilled to have made further investments to improve and strengthen our management capabilities within our ranks.

Speaking about the positive move to hire Sam, Avonside Group Services Managing Director Tony Burke said: “We are delighted that Sam has elected to take up this opportunity. It is important to us that we develop more of our management talent from within and we are all very excited about this initiative. We think it highlights a planned and progressive approach for the business.”

MEET SAM… Sam (pictured) is a bright, outgoing,

23-year-old psychology graduate, who worked in comprehensive school teaching and year head roles for two years. After these roles, he began looking for a

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career challenge in which he could set about achieving his full potential. This drive was what put him on our radar!

In his spare time, Sam enjoys playing rugby union at a very competitive standard for Derby RFC 1st XV and has recently purchased his first home with his partner.

After securing the Management Trainee role, Sam said: “I’m delighted to have secured such an important position with a forward-thinking organisation like Avonside, and it allows me to continue family connections within the roofing industry.”

UNDER THE ROOF STAFF EVENTS

Avonside Worksop & Bourne Customer Karting Challenge AVONSIDE’S WORKSOP AND BOURNE BRANCHES RECENTLY TEAMED UP TO ENTERTAIN CUSTOMERS DURING A FUN AFTERNOON OF GO-KARTING AT THE COUNTRY’S LEADING OUTDOOR KART CIRCUIT, PF INTERNATIONAL. — The unusual spell of fine weather that we’d enjoyed over the Easter weekend disappointingly broke up for race day, and it was with some trepidation that 20 racers prepared to tackle some challenging conditions during the 40-minute practice and qualifying session. Participants even saw hail at one point, and it is fair to say that all the racers experienced spins during these wet sessions, some quite spectacularly!

The track was still wet and extremely slippery as the karts lined up to start the hour-long race. Each team comprised two drivers, with strategic pit stops taking place to achieve the quickest possible race time.

Henry Munton from the Bourne pairing of Munton/Bostock made a solid start from pole position; however, he came unstuck in the wet at the first hairpin and slipped back to 4th on the first lap.

Some fine driving saw him recover to second in a fairly short time, and it was not long before the pair took the lead, which they held for the remainder of the race.

During the race, the track slowly dried out, allowing all drivers to push harder and harder as the race progressed.

Despite the racers finishing the afternoon soaked to the skin, all agreed that the changing conditions added to the fun of the whole event. A trophy presentation took place in the bar afterwards, where there was intense discussion on how best to keep the karts off the grass and on the tarmac!

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The final results were as follows: 1st Place HENRY MUNTON AND RICHARD BOSTOCK - Avonside Bourne 2nd Place ROB NEWTON AND MARC CUCKSEY - Chestnut Homes 3rd Place RICHARD NEWTON AND GRAHAM SMITH - Taylor Wimpey East Midlands.

UNDER THE ROOF STAFF ACHIEVEMENTS

Peter Baker Crowned Health & Safety Champion at UK Roofing Awards!

IT WAS CHEERS ALL ROUND FOR OUR SENIOR CONTRACTS MANAGER, PETER BAKER, AS HE SCOOPED HEALTH AND SAFETY CHAMPION 2018 AWARD AT THE PRESTIGIOUS NFRC UK ROOFING AWARDS! — Our Managing Director Tony Burke, Group Business Development Director Phil Bull, Area Director Adam Pearson, Group Operations Director Andrew Morley, and Contracts Director Stewart Hill all attended the black-tie celebration at InterContinental London - The O2 on 10th May. Rubbing shoulders with roofing’s finest, they enjoyed networking with the roofing community and celebrated Peter’s unwavering commitment to health and safety in style!

Another Qualification Under the Belt for Sarah Burke!

A WELL DONE IS IN ORDER FOR OUR GROUP SHEQ MANAGER SARAH BURKE FOR TAKING THE BRAND-NEW NEBOSH COURSE IN APRIL (THE HSE CERTIFICATE IN HEALTH AND SAFETY LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE, DEVELOPED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE) AND PASSING WITH FLYING COLOURS! — NEBOSH, the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health, is the UK’s independent exam board delivering vocational health, safety and environmental practice and management qualifications.

The HSE Certificate in Health and Safety Leadership Excellence highlights the moral, legal and financial reasons for good health and safety leadership and offers guidance on the key areas to focus on to achieve it.

www.avonsidegroup.co.uk

UNDER THE ROOF APPRENTICE AND TRAINEE NEWS

National Apprenticeship Week Ends on a High for Avonside!

WITH THE ROOFING INDUSTRY FACING AN EVERGROWING SKILLS GAP, IT’S ALWAYS POSITIVE NEWS WHEN UP-AND-COMING YOUNG ROOFERS SUCCEED AND ACHIEVE. — We’re proud to report that Tyler Pedrick, a 22-year-old apprentice at our Avonside Braintree Residential Roofing branch, was crowned Apprentice of the Year 2019 in Eastern Region Roof Training Group Ltd’s (ERRTG) awards, ending National Apprenticeship Week with a bang. A huge congratulations to Tyler (pictured).

Olivia Gilbert from ERRTG said: “We are so pleased that this year’s apprentice of the year is Tyler Pedrick. It was an easy choice, he is a pleasure to teach, always hard working with excellent attendance and punctuality. He continues to impress us with his attitude to learning and maturity.

“We feel that Tyler has a very bright future.”

We’re also hugely proud of Ross Brazitis (pictured), an apprentice at our Colchester Residential Roofing branch, who scooped the Best Newcomer award.

Eastern Region Roof Training Group Ltd carried out team building activities, talks about the important role apprenticeships play, and held an exciting awards

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ceremony to get involved in National Apprenticeship Week and to mark the hard work of promising apprentices who have stood out.

National Apprenticeship Week ran 4th–8th March as a nationwide celebration (and now a social media movement), uniting employees and apprentices in recognising the powerful impact that apprenticeships can have on people and workplaces.

We are strong advocates in apprenticeships, recruiting 50 apprentices last year alone as we believe in bringing the best quality of people into our business.

As Eddie Stanton, our Flat Roofing Divisional Director, said in his interview with RCI Magazine in January: “To help tackle the skills shortage issue, I think we (individual companies and industry representatives) need to go into schools and speak directly to students about promoting the opportunities and routes to progression that are available within the roofing sector.

“Ultimately, I think we have to sell youngsters a career, rather than a job.”

UNDER THE ROOF APPRENTICE AND TRAINEE NEWS

TYLER PEDRICK FEATURES IN ROOFING TODAY’S ‘30 UNDER THIRTY’ Tyler’s winning streak didn’t end with his ERRTG award. In a bid to drive recognition of the high standards and professionalism in the ranks of youngsters entering the roofing industry, Roofing Today magazine ran a feature titled ‘30 Under Thirty’ — thirty professionals deemed to soar in their early careers due to their outstanding achievements. Tyler, who is currently studying for an NVQ L2 in Roof Slating and Tiling, was praised in the feature which stated: “Right from the start of his apprenticeship, Tyler has been a model student, according to the ERRTG. He has a passion to learn and develop his skills as a roofer, demonstrating an attention to detail that results in an exceptional standard of work.

“Tyler is ambitious and sees his future lying in working to continually improve as a roofer and work his way up the career ladder at Avonside Roofing.”

If young roofers are anything like Tyler, we reckon the future of the industry is in safe hands!

TRAINEES INDUCTED TO PITCHED & FLAT ROOFING COURSE Well done to this brilliant group, which includes trainees from SIG Roofing and Clarion Housing Group as well as Avonside, following the two-day introduction to their pitched and flat roofing course at BMI’s National Training Centre in early April. BMI is currently the only UK roofing manufacturer able to offer training in both the flat roofing and pitched roofing disciplines and at the one site.

BMI REDLAND & ICOPAL COURSE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED BY TRAINEES Congratulations to all trainees from Avonside, SIG Roofing, Roofbase, BMI Group, and Rowlands Roofing for completing their two-day Redland and Icopal roofing course with flying colours!

www.avonsidegroup.co.uk

TOMMY O’NEIL GAINS NVQ AHEAD OF COURSE MATES We’d like to give a shout out to one of our apprentices, Tommy O’Neil, who is currently training at the Eastern Region Roof Training Group (ERRTG), for being the first of his apprentice group to achieve his NVQ Level 2 in Roof Slate & Tiling in March, 5 months ahead of programme. This fantastic achievement is a testament to how far he has come on his apprenticeship course. Nice one, Tommy!

UNDER THE ROOF APPRENTICE AND TRAINEE NEWS

LEEDS COLLEGE OF BUILDING STUDENTS ROCKING AVONSIDE’S PPE We think they make great models…but they make even greater roofers! It always makes us smile when we see Leeds College of Building students wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) donated by Avonside whilst out and about. Here they are on an educational trip visiting Burlington Slate Ltd quarry.

LEON FLETCHER COMPETES IN LEEDS COLLEGE OF BUILDING INTERNAL SKILLSBUILD COMP Our skilled apprentice at Avonside Wigan Residential Roofing, Leon Fletcher, competed in Leeds College of Building’s Internal SkillBuild Competition on 3rd March. Ten apprentices competed for three coveted places, which would enable them to progress to the regional rounds of the prestigious national multi-trade competition for UK construction trainees and apprentices.

Well done, Leon!

www.avonsidegroup.co.uk

UNDER THE ROOF ROOFS FROM MY TRAVELS PHOTOS

VEGA’S HUGE FLAT ROOF

A ROOF WITH A VIEW!

Check out this enormous flat roof snapped by Chris Beech of Bracknell Roofing South East/Sussex from his hotel room at the Excalibur Hotel in Las Vegas.

Chris said: “The sheer size of the flat roof was astounding, probably about 15,000m2, and that’s just a small part of the hotel roof!”

Ploughcroft’s Divisional Director Chris Hopkins captured this wonderful view in Algarve, Portugal. Thanks for sharing, Chris!

Has an interesting roof, skyline or rooftop view ever caught your eye on holiday?

Whether it was taken abroad or captured in the UK, we’d welcome your photos for future issues for the staff newsletter.

Send them in to: avonsidegroupservices.co.uk/newsdesk

CHARITY WORK

Mental Health Matters WE WANTED TO GIVE A NOD TO ROMILLY SNOWDEN, ADMINISTRATOR AT AVONSIDE DRIFFIELD, FOR KINDLY BRIGHTENING HER COLLEAGUES’ DAY WITH SOME SWEET TREATS FOR THE OFFICE DURING MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK. — Mental Health Awareness Week ran 13th-19th May. With 2 construction workers a day sadly taking their own lives, Avonside Group are eager supporters of Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity, who offer a vital helpline for those in crisis and their families (0345 605 1956).

Check out what our Group Managing Director Tony Burke told Roofing Today magazine about his views on mental health in construction in their January issue here.

www.avonsidegroup.co.uk

UNDER THE ROOF CHARITY WORK

Avonside Worksop & Bourne Support Rhubarb Farm STEWART HILL, BRANCH DIRECTOR OF AVONSIDE WORKSOP, AND RICHARD BOSTOCK, BRANCH DIRECTOR AT AVONSIDE BOURNE, ATTENDED AN EVENT WHICH SAW A NEWLY DONATED MINIBUS HANDED OVER TO HORTICULTURAL-BASED ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIAL ENTERPRISE, RHUBARB FARM, AND WERE TREATED TO A SPECIAL TOUR OF THE RHUBARB FARM FACILITY IN LANGWITH ON 11TH MARCH. — The photos, taken by Mark Hitchings from Stag Communications, show just how many people turned out to see the unveiling of the new minibus.

A huge portion (£12,000) of the £26,000 needed to fund the new, urgently needed, branded minibus was raised at the Efficiency East Midlands (EEM) awards ceremony, which Stewart and Richard attended at the Athena in Leicester in February. Avonside Bourne had proudly sponsored the “Contractor of the Year” category at the awards, which was won by J Tomlinson Limited, with Property Plus (Housing Plus Group) being the runner up.

Avonside Worksop, in particular, have worked very closely with EEM framework for several years, carrying out a large amount of social re-roofing.

Rhubarb Farm use therapeutic organic agricultural activities to help support the unemployed, exoffenders, recovering drug and alcohol misusers, excluded school students, people living with mental and physical health conditions, dementia or learning difficulties, ex-service personnel, and older, isolated people.

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As the organisation continues to support vulnerable people to change their lives for the better, Stewart and Richard say they will continue to support the local venture at Rhubarb Farm by providing any surplus pallets, which the organisation will put to many uses around the farm.

UNDER THE ROOF CHARITY WORK

STILL TIME TO DONATE TO A WHEELY GOOD CAUSE… Sarah Burke (Group SHEQ Manager) and 3 other Avonside staff members have been busy training for their London Ride 100 challenge — cycling 100 miles around the capital on 4th August in aid of Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity.

There is still time to donate to this worthy cause, either by texting: TILE91 to 70070 or by visiting Sarah’s JustGiving page here.

LUKE LYCETT: THE NEW USAIN BOLT?!

AVONSIDE EDINBURGH SPONSOR BO’NESS UNITED COMMUNITY FC 2011S Avonside Edinburgh are delighted to be sponsoring Bo’ness United Community FC 2011s as trey begin preparations for 2019/20 season.

The branch decided to commit to being the new shirt sponsor for the 2011 age group as they have a close association with the town, with several key members of the Avonside team living there. The Edinburgh team have also almost completed the successful delivery of 167 units for Miller Homes in the Scottish town.

They look forward to seeing the new strips and wish Bo’ness United the best of luck for the next season!

Well, not quite. But we are hugely proud of our CobsenDavies Contracts Manager, Luke Lycett. Not everyone would run the Brighton Marathon on their 40th birthday and then the London Marathon two weeks later!

Luke completed the runs in April to raise money for The Treasure Basket Association, who help children living with mental health issues access play therapy and therapeutic resources to support the emotional well-being of children and families in the community.

He completed the Brighton Marathon with a time of 3hrs, 47 minutes and 1 second and finished the London Marathon with a time of 3 hours, 57 minutes and 2 seconds.

To date, Luke has smashed his £1,500 target, raising an incredible £1,748 for the charity! Great stuff, Luke!

GARY COULL’S 10K CHALLENGE FOR SCOTTISH MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION Our staff must like running! Also fundraising for the worthy cause that is mental health support and awareness is Avonside Glasgow’s Contacts Supervisor, Gary Coull, who will be undertaking a 10K running challenge on the 16th June in aid of the Scottish Association for Mental Health. The event will take Gary from The Clyde and right the way to George Square in Glasgow. You can support him by donating to his JustGiving page here.

www.avonsidegroup.co.uk

UNDER THE ROOF FANTASY FOOTBALL

Catch Up on Your Avonside Fantasy Football Check out the results table below to find out the Telegraph staff Fantasy Footie league report for week 41.

How’s your team doing?! It might make you laugh to know that the creator of the league, who was giving it the big one at the start, has finished in the bottom half of the table! The only lady participant, Susanne has also shown most of the blokes up!

League Position

Overall Position

1 16764 2 40760 3 52367 4 53921 5 67668 6 70885 7 71316 8 73562 9 84537 10 95247 11 95723 12 98213 13 102856 14 105533 15 111417 16 113939 17 117137 18 119812

Manager Name

Team Name

Mr B Rabot R4 Mr P Barber Banana Smoothie Mr S Ohara Stevie O Mr P binch The Gooners Mr P Bull De Gae Bar Mr O Smith Touch My Harry Kane Mrs S McColl The Bully Wee Mr E Stanton Chicken Tikka MoSalah Mr S fox Training Gang Mr B Coulson LUFC reborn Mr A Pearson Pearson FC Mr J Barry* JB FC Mr J Barker Drifters AFC Mr L Lycett The Sleep Thieves Mr K Smith Coats 4 Posts Mr A Burleigh Rochdale AFC Mr C Harrell Inter Me Nan Mr N Winfield Motchester City

Week 27 Points

Total Points

25 34 18 42 9 18 8 0 0 7 15 18 18 15 4 0 7 14

2007 1890 1844 1839 1785 1773 1771 1762 1714 1662 1660 1646 1620 1605 1568 1551 1529 1509

* denotes Chairman

If you have any questions about joining in the Fantasy Football fun contact Jamie Barry jamie.barry@avonsidegroup.co.uk If you have a story for the next issue, simply visit THE NEWSDESK to submit you branch news, we look forward to reading it!

www.avonsidegroup.co.uk

UNDER THE ROOF MORE STAFF NEWS

Best Story Winner Revealed Administrator Romilly Snowden, from our Avonside Driffield branch, bagged the Best Story award in March’s issue of the last staff newsletter. The story of her and her friend Jas completing a 13.4-mile walk in North Yorkshire, to fundraise a brilliant £484.40 for mental health charity Mind, earned her a £50 Amazon Voucher. Thanks for submitting your story Romilly! Who will win next, we wonder?!

Got a winning story you can’t wait to share with your colleagues?

IF YOU HAVE NEWS ON:

u Projects your branch are proud of u Branch news, such as apprentice achievements or awards won u Personal news, any professional qualifications or training your staff have done, for example charitable events your team members have participated in u Any new contracts won u Roofs from My Travels photos u Any other positive team news

Simply fill out the quick online form to submit your story for the next issue of the staff newsletter!

Best story to get picked by Group MD Tony Burke will win a

£50 AMAZON VOUCHER!

www.avonsidegroup.co.uk