ReNEWS 11

ReNEWS

FOR ALL YOUR SHANKS MUNICIPAL NEWS AND VIEWS

WIN!

AN AMAZON ECHO

P12 December 2016

MERGER IN THE MAKING

‘SHANKSMOBILE’ RIDES AGAIN

It is business as usual as we head closer to our imminent merger with Van Gansewinkel.

The merger also needs approval from our own shareholders and they have now voted 99.93% in favour of the deal.

Group CEO Peter Dilnot said: “By joining Shanks and the Van Gansewinkel Groep (VGG) together, we will create an exciting new company with a great future.

“The day we close the deal will be Day One. On that day, we will have had approval from the competition authorities, we will launch our new brand and we will be registered on the Stock Exchange under our new company name.”

See page 3 for full story

POLE POSITION

CREAM OF THE CROP

Grandad’s back on the grid after 40 years – p5

After years of struggling to find ways of disposing of a seemingly useless liquid by-product, our Canadian colleagues at Orgaworld hit upon a solution: sell it.

And now, just seven months later, the ‘waste’ ammonium sulphate (AS) is being sold to farmers as a valuable fertilizer.

“AS had always been something of a headache to us,” explained Ian Streight, Agricultural Product Specialist at Orgaworld.

“We had to pay for the transport and disposal of it and it really added up.”

Continued on page 4

…

WHAT’S INSIDE‘CREWS’

P6

CONTROL Futureproofing our sites

P8

CALL THE MIDWIFE Robert’s our small-screen celebrity

P10

SERVICE STARS Half a century of knowledge

02 ❙ December 2016

CHECK OUT YOUR CHAMPIONS! We’re always looking for stories about the people who make Shanks what it is, so our panel of Communications Champions, featuring a few new faces, is here to make it easier. Got a story about a hobby or best practice? Contact your Champion and we’ll do the rest.

ARGYLL & BUTE Gail Orr, gail.orr@shanks.co.uk

BDR Abi Cox, abigail.cox@ shanks.co.uk

CANADA Chris O’Toole, cotoole@orgaworld.ca

COMPLIANCE Dave Leatham, david. leatham@shanks.co.uk

CUMBRIA Joanne Crone, joanne. crone@shanks.co.uk

DERBY Emma Ray, emma. ray@shanks.co.uk

DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY Dave Cheetham, david.cheetham@ shanks.co.uk

ELWA Gurjeet Kaur-Assi, gurjeet.kaur-assi@ shanks.co.uk

ENGINEERING Steve Bullock, steve. bullock@shanks.co.uk

FINANCE Sophia Kibirige, sophia. kibirige@shanks.co.uk

HR ICT Claire Stackpoole, claire. Simon Betts, simon. stackpoole@shanks.co.uk betts@shanks.co.uk

LEGAL PROCUREMENT Louise Thompson, louise. Abdul Haneef, abdul. thompson@shanks.co.uk haneef@shanks.co.uk

RESOURCE & RECOVERY WAKEFIELD Tracy De-Filippis, tracy. Sally Hurn, de-filippis@shanks.co.uk sally.hurn@shanks.co.uk

WE KNOW WHAT’S NEEDED FOR 2017 Challenging year has left us well placed to know the best way forward, so now and next year we’ll all be getting on with it CV

NAME James Priestley AGE 53 HISTORY James began his career as a chemical engineer with ICI. He left ICI to study full-time for an MBA. After this, he spent five years at Ford Motor Company.

Next, he spent 10 years at British Airways in general management and programme director positions within engineering. Then he moved to Tesco to design and build out the Distribution Network. After a short period in consultancy, in 2011 he became European president of RGIS, the world’s leading inventory services company. Most recently he was MD Americas for a consumer products company.

Hello and welcome to issue 11 of ReNEWS, my first! I am delighted and excited to have joined the business and I look forward to working with you all going forward.

At the corporate level, I am thrilled to be joining Shanks as we head towards our merger with Van Gansewinkel. I’m looking forward to seeing the benefits of the merger and maximising the potential this brings for the Municipal business.

Whilst we have had some significant challenges in 2016, as we head towards the end of the year, it is also important that we take a moment to reflect on the successes in the Municipal business this year and on the important contribution made by each and every one of you.

Highlights of the year include the food waste contract win with Buckinghamshire County Council, the roll-out of continuous improvement and the recent contract with Brammer as our single-source spares supplier.

As always, it is important we maintain our focus on safety throughout this transition. I would ask you all to

make sure you keep on doing this and keep safety front of mind each day. If you see something, don’t walk by.

It’s also important that we reflect on the vital role we perform for Shanks, the environment, our municipal authority clients and society in general.

Delivering results for the different groups we service can be complex and demanding, but, by and large, we do an excellent job and should be very proud of this work.

UPDATED I am currently reviewing feedback supplied to the Leadership Team during the recent October roadshow week undertaken by my predecessor Matthew Williams, and rest assured we are already taking steps to action many of the suggestions you have made. We will keep you fully updated.

Finally, I’d like to take this opportunity to send you and your families my best wishes for the festive season, and to thank you for your hard work and commitment over the last 12 months. I’m sure we can look forward to a successful new year by building on the firm foundations laid this year and the ideas we have generated.

LEADING THE FIELD

Cricketers, wildlife fans and dancers celebrate our grants Our Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) in Wakefield have been embracing the gift of giving as part of our pledge to support the communities where our centres are based.

As a thank you for Wakefield HWRCs’ commitment to donating reusable household items to the Re-Valued Community project, which supports vulnerable members of the local community, founder Steve Hyde gifted each HWRC with £500 to support local causes of their choice.

Timed with the anniversary dates of the sites’ first collections, colleagues hand-picked small organisations nearby where the cash would make a big difference – the groups chosen needed to have an annual income of less than £5,000 and not be a registered charity. Local cheerleaders, cricketers

and countryside conservationists were among the causes who benefited from the funds this year.

SUPPORT At Wakefield HWRC, Councillor Maureen Cummings presented a cheque to Kettlethorpe-based dance group Storm Mystique Cheerleaders. The group’s leaders, Amy Austerfield and Olivia Royston, and three girls from the troupe, who perform at events around the area, collected their gift, which paid for a presentation evening’s awards.

Councillor Cummings also presented the Smawthorne Marsh Wildlife Group with a cheque on behalf of the Glasshoughton HWRC. Group Secretary Jill Campsill said the award would help fund their work rescuing and caring for hedgehogs

Dancers from Storm Mystique Cheerleaders collecting their cheque; below, the Smawthorne Marsh Wildlife Group

G TIMEKEEP#IN TOP TIP 1 FROM ‘TEAM TOGETHER’ around the Wakefield district.

The group chosen by the South Kirkby facility was the South Kirkby Colliery Cricket Club. Chairman Reg Mills said the donation would go towards a practice area to help develop the club’s cricketers, who range from under-9s through to seniors.

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WE’RE JOINING FORCES

3

STEPS TO MERGER

Before we can officially tie the knot, we have to meet three conditions, but with two of the three confirmed so far, things are progressing well.

The merger had to be approved by Van Gansewinkel’s shareholders.

This happened at the beginning of October.

The merger had to be sanctioned by our own shareholders. They voted 99.93% in favour of the deal.

We have to gain approval from the competition authorities in Belgium and the Netherlands, who must be satisfied that the merger is fair. We are waiting for this approval but hope it will be in place in the coming weeks, which would mean we can close the deal and bring our two companies closer together in the near future.

1 2 3

EXCITING Until we get this approval, it is important that we ensure it is very much ‘business as usual’ – so we continue to operate safely, keep delivering our commitments in order to hit our target results and continue to serve our customers well.

Group CEO Peter Dilnot said: “By joining Shanks and Van Gansewinkel together, we will create an exciting new company with a great future.

“Our two businesses have complementary capabilities, technologies and geographies. As well as that, we will also have more opportunities to grow our business together over the medium term.”

HIT THE GROUND RUNNING… FROM DAY ONE

l The day we close the deal will be known as Day One. l That’s when our detailed integration planning will begin to put the controls in place to run the business. l In preparing for the merger, another key step has been to design the overall structure, which will comprise of five operational divisions, each supported by a number of functional leaders. l The managing directors of each division and these leaders will form our new Executive Committee (ExCom), which will lead the combined group. An integration director is being appointed to help bring our two businesses together. l Peter said: “We will be working on how Shanks and Van Gansewinkel will best fit together. In the meantime, please be assured that this merger is primarily about longterm growth rather than short-term savings.”

December 2016 ❙ 03

The easy step-by-step guide to where we’re at, what to expect on Day One and what the merger could mean for you

THE BENEFITS l New, marketleading company l More people to support our group business l Financial power = investment l Leader in delivering circular economy

Our new structure lM UNICIPAL The existing Shanks Municipal Division, with activities in the UK and Canada. l NETHERLANDS COMMERCIAL Combining the current Van Gansewinkel Netherlands Collection business and the Shanks Netherlands Commercial business. l BELGIUM COMMERCIAL The current Van Gansewinkel Belgium Collection business and the Shanks Belgium Commercial business. l HAZARDOUS WASTE The existing Shanks Hazardous Waste Division and Van Gansewinkel’s Industrial Services business. l MONOSTREAMS Van Gansewinkel’s Recycling businesses (Coolrec, Maltha and Minerals) and Shanks’ Orgaworld (organics) and van Tuijl (glass) businesses. l The functional leadership roles will include Product/ Material Sales, Finance, Marketing, IT, General Counsel (legal) and Environmental Health & Safety (EHS).

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT ON DAY ONE?

l Launch of our new brand. lR egister on the Stock Exchange under our new company name. l L aunch of our new Executive Committee (ExCom) – the level below the board. lW e will have set up the controls we need to run both businesses. lW e will start creating an integration plan for the next two years.

SULPHUR SO GOOD NEW MARKET FOR 5

04 ❙ December 2016

minutes with…

Elton Salvador Financial Analyst, Orgaworld, Canada

Q

What does your role as financial analyst involve?

My role is to provide clear, precise, informative reporting and to provide support in all accounting functions within the business: revenue and receivables; expense and payables; capital investments; reporting and record-keeping; and finance controls and procedures.

Q

What is the best and worst part of your job?

Working with people in different functions is enjoyable and providing information to make important business decisions is the best part.

The most challenging is the tight deadlines, whether it be budget submissions, five-year plan or year end.

Q

How would your colleagues describe you?

Q

What hobbies do you enjoy away from work?

Provides good energy, a team player and always seeking improvement.

Attending sporting events and playing golf.

Farmers forced to buy from China now looking closer to home Continued from p1

For years, Orgaworld Canada has been producing ammonium sulphate as a by-product of its processes in its London and Ottawa tunnel composting facilities.

Ammonia Scrubbers remove the odorous ammonia from the air in the plant and the resulting ammonia then reacts with sulphuric acid to create ammonium sulphate (AS) – a mix that contains nitrogen and sulphur components.

STRONG DEMAND Sulphur is one of the key ingredients required for successful crop growth, but farmers across Ontario were having to ship it in from as far afield as China after the authorities switched from coal to nuclear fuel in their power stations – the sulphur particulate had been a by-product of the fossil fuel and fell on agricultural land whenever it rained.

Early market surveys indicated a strong demand for the product as it was naturally occurring rather than man-

made and produced from food waste, not from a chemical company – factors that matter to many farmers.

A team at Orgaworld standardised the mix before taking the fertilizer to market. But they also needed to overcome another issue.

Orgaworld’s Agricultural Product Specialist Ian Streight said: “The other historical problem with AS is that we produce it year-round and farmers only need it for the planting and growing season – literally from April to July.

That’s why we started talking with Ontario Greenways Inc (OGI).”

Orgaworld and OGI have signed an off-take agreement whereby Orgaworld would produce the AS while OGI invested in a 10-vessel tank farm with enough capacity to store the material, then sell and deliver it to agricultural fertilizer distributors when required.

Mike Rooke, one of those involved in the project, said: “To know that Orgaworld has a year-round and profitable home for ammonium sulphate for the first time in nine years is remarkable.”

Recipe for success: Orgaworld has partnered with OGI to turn AS into a useful product

FROM WASTE TO WINNERS A turn-up for the books as young artists reuse rubbish

Q

Do you have a favourite sports team or sports personality?

My soccer team is Benfica and since I am Canadian, I love my Montreal Canadiens.

My favourite sportsman is Cristiano Ronaldo.

Q

Class act: young recyclers turned scrap into a superhero after open-air incentive

Best piece of advice you’ve been given?

50% of your time should be spent on continuous improvement.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Michael Recycle made a guest appearance at two Wakefield schools after we ran a competition in conjunction with Empty Classroom Day – a campaign aimed at getting as many children as possible out into the open air.

Working in partnership with Wakefield Council, we ran a photo competition looking for pictures of

schoolchildren working outdoors.

The top three won a full-day craft workshop with our Education Officer Jade Wilkes, where they learned how important it is to reduce, reuse and recycle their rubbish.

Our pictures show some of the amazing creations made by the children at Normanton All Saints C of E Infant School and Stanley Grove

Primary and Nursery School. Ryhill Junior, Infant and Nursery School is also in line for a workshop session.

The children built their own recycling mascots based on the children’s book character Michael Recycle – a recycling superhero.

The children read the story before collecting the rubbish and using it in their impressive sculptures.

Safe… and up to date All our senior managers are up to date with current health & safety regulations and best practice after a full-day training course.

The Municipal Leadership team got the low-down on an intensive Institution of Occupational Safety and Health course.

Much of the emphasis was on: l understanding and managing risk within our business l the responsibilities managers have for HSE l reviewing, implementing and managing best practice across our sites.

Following the session, all the participants completed a validation exercise to confirm their accreditation as leaders in HSE. HIGHLIGHTED Former Interim Managing Director Matthew Williams was one of the managers who took part.

Matthew said: “The workshop highlighted several areas that we must continue to focus on.

“Courses like this are essential to ensure that Shanks offers a safe and secure working environment and that all employees receive the appropriate level of training.”

He added: “It also stresses the importance of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), with the objective of avoiding accidents at work.”

December 2016 ❙ 05

WELDERS AND FITTERS MAKE UP DREAM TEAM I was grateful to a number of the guys who work with me at Frog Island who came and helped… without them, we wouldn’t have been able to take part

BANGERS AND SMASH

Peter alongside his trusty banger after taking the chequered flag

Workshop boss returns to track four decades on to destroy opposition… literally

Images courtesy of Matt Bull / RacePixels.co.uk

Sunday drivers eh! Tootling along, struggling to get out of second gear as they take in the scenery.

Well, they’re not all like that. A Sunday drive for Peter Westwood saw him careering round and round, shoving old bangers out of his way and all in the name of a good cause, with the daredevil driver raising hundreds of pounds for charity.

Peter’s high-speed capers took place at the Arena Essex Raceway, as the self-confessed engine nut rolled back the years to take part in a Legends Banger Race Meeting – an event aimed at luring drivers back behind the wheel after a few years away.

In fact, it’s been 40 years since the Frog Island vehicle workshops manager last negotiated his way to the chequered flag, avoiding the tactics of other drivers in a race where anything goes.

DEMOLITION As if that wasn’t madcap enough, the night ended with a Demolition Derby, with the winner being the last car moving! In spite of being out of the spotlight for four decades, Peter and his nimble Nissan made it through to the final stages, coming second in the last race.

“It’s just like driving around the M25 but without the speed cameras,” the

58-year-old joked. “You do need a bit of skill to get the car around the circuit, but you also need a lot of luck to make it through to the end.

“And I was grateful to a number of the guys who work with me at Frog Island who came and helped on the night – welders and fitters who got the car running again. Without them, we wouldn’t have been able to take part in the Demolition Derby.”

HOMES 4 HEROES It wasn’t just his work colleagues who were at the Purfleet track to witness his return. Peter was also cheered on by his children and grandchildren.

“They’d never seen me race before, so it was good to have them there,” he added.

Peter has already raised more than £1,200 for the

charity Homes 4 Heroes and anyone else interested in donating can do so at: justgiving.com/fundraising/PeterWestwood1

The classic Nissan finished thanks to Shanks colleagues; (above) Peter with his grandson

CEO Peter Dilnot (far left) and Dr Roscoe (fourth from right) with our guests at the official opening

Wakefield’s a perfect 10% A new Shanks facility has sparked a 10% increase in kerbside recycling in the district where it operates.

The Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, Dr Ingrid Roscoe, was among guests at the official opening of our South Kirkby Residual Waste Treatment Facility in Wakefield.

And she was joined by our own CEO Peter Dilnot and key stakeholders from the Wakefield PFI Project.

Deputy Leader of the Council, Denise Jeffery, was full of praise for

the centre, which has been behind the dramatic rise in recycling awareness.

She said: “The official opening is a way of recognising how proud we are of this fantastic facility, which is using all the latest technology to recycle the district’s waste.”

The Lord Lieutenant was given a tour of the site, much to the delight of everyone in attendance.

Peter explained: “The sight of the Lord Lieutenant jumping into a Shanks van for an impromptu site tour will stick with me for a very long time!”

06 ❙ December 2016

INVESTING IN NEW EQUIPM

The new ELWA balers will increase the diversion from landfill rate to more than 90%

THE RISE OF THE MACHINES

They’re super-quick, cost a cool £2m and will boost our export potential by 100%, so meet the balers putting our fire-hit ELWA operation right back on track The baler has dramatically improved the process for Baler Operatives (l-r)Rob Agombar and Rob Lawrence

New balers have been installed at Jenkins Lane and Frog Island as part of a massive investment to improve efficiency.

More than £2 million has been spent on the stateof-the-art machines, which will lead to an improved production of solid recovered fuel (SRF) and refusederived fuel (RDF) at the two East London sites.

The investment, the biggest within the UK Municipal business this year, increases our export potential by 100% and the diversion of waste from landfill to more than 90% across the entire East London Waste Authority (ELWA) contract.

The first of the balers was put in place at Jenkins Lane at the start of October, with the Frog Island machine installed the following month.

Matt Skilton, Survival Bag Materials Recovery Facility (SB MRF) and HWRC Manager at Jenkins Lane, said the decision to invest in the plant made economic sense.

“RDF is certainly the way forward,” he admitted.

“Our plants at Frog Island and Jenkins Lane create massive amounts of RDF every day, so it seemed the sensible choice to invest in a decent RDF baler to

keep up with the capacity of the facilities.

“The new machine is quicker and we also benefit from the uniformity of the bales, which in turn means we can get more weight on the trucks which means fewer vehicle movements which reduces our costs and benefits the environment.”

TEETHING PROBLEMS Baler Operative Rob Lawrence is one of the team responsible for the smooth running of the new hightech machine at Jenkins Lane: “I was part of the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) team but when the new baler was installed, I was asked if I wanted to operate the machinery as I had some experience with the controls in my previous role.

“There are three separate sections to the baler, so I was trained in all of them. We had a couple of teething problems in the first weeks, but since they’ve been ironed out, it’s been much better.

“It certainly makes things a lot faster; we’re currently getting through

11 loads each shift, which is a good improvement.

“It was a lot messier before too, but now, we don’t even have to touch the refuse as it is all done electronically.”

Rob explained that much of his work was ensuring the production of the bales – which are strapped tight and wrapped in plastic before being loaded on to the lorries – went according to plan.

And while some early issues have kept him and the Jenkins Lane team busy at times, that was good news for colleagues from the neighbouring

December 2016 ❙ 07

MENT AND FUTURE SAFETY BALERS IN NUMBERS

£2m

Six crews from six London stations attended the training day at the Frog Island facility

THE COST OF THE PROJECT

TWO MACHINE BALERS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED, ONE AT JENKINS LANE AND THE OTHER AT FROG ISLAND

40

THE NUMBER OF BALES EACH SITE CREATES EVERY HOUR

60 secs THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT TAKES FROM BALING TO LOADING ON A TRUCK

22

LORRY LOADS LEAVE EACH SITE EVERY DAY

Frog Island site, who spent weeks on-site as part of their training before their own baler was commissioned.

One of those working alongside Rob before taking up their role as baler operative at the Rainham site was Rob Agombar.

He explained: “We were on-site for training ahead of the baler being put in at Frog Island. Seeing how it was done down there meant we were one step ahead.

“It also meant that we saw some of the little teething troubles they had with the baler, so we’d know what to do if they crop up.

“It’s a lovely machine to work on – much better than the one we had down on Frog. It’s much more technical, but it makes the job much easier.”

It was a lot messier before, but now, we don’t even have to touch the refuse as it is all done electronically

FIRE CREWS GET THE LOW-DOWN ON FROG London Fire Brigade’s training exercise ensures lessons are learned after serious Frog Island blaze in 2014 As the fire appliances threaded their way between the vast buildings and lorries, it was difficult not to be reminded of the blaze that swept through Frog Island two years ago.

This time, the fire crews were taking part in a training exercise drawn up as part of developing the relationship between the London Fire Brigade and Shanks.

In a two-hour operation, fire hoses were linked in a bid to take water from one of our fire hydrants to the far side of the site. At the height of the 2014 fire, water was pumped from the neighbouring River Thames.

STUBBORN Lucille Stanley, QHSE Advisor, witnessed the Frog Island fire and said she hoped the training exercise would be the first of many: “Having an exercise such as this going on is fantastic and we hope that it will help with a resolution for firefighting for us.

“Despite the London Fire Brigade being fully aware of the hazards associated with waste fires, the layout and complexity of our site was an issue at the recent fire, along with the fact that the site is supplied by one water main, which restricts flow to our hydrants on-site.”

The Frog Island water tanks hold only enough water to fight a fire for half an hour, but with the

blaze continuing much longer, a pump into the river was needed.

Lucille said: “The exercise showed the water supply from our hydrants would provide enough water for three jets or two ground monitors, but in the case of a larger fire, crews from six different stations are now aware of what to do.”

During the training session, the London Fire

Brigade also familiarised themselves with the steps needed to be taken in case of a larger fire – also to order high-volume pumps to siphon off water from the nearby Thames.

Senior Operations and Maintenance Manager Ian Hurst said: “The session was very constructive and the crews now know the layout of the site, potential obstacles and transport movements.”

Relationships matter Martin Corbett, Borough Commander for Havering (left), explains how building close working relationships with companies such as Shanks enables his team to prepare for any eventuality.

The exercise confirmed the effectiveness of our contingency plan: that the hydrants work and can provide enough water and that a larger fire would be tackled with high-volume pumps drawing water from the River Thames.

The issue we have at Shanks is the location and complexity

of the site, but the exercise provided crews with greater knowledge of the site and the importance of maintaining business continuity so that if a fire occurs again, we can all work together to deal with it more quickly and effectively.

It’s all about the relationships we have with Shanks so that if we are called out, we know the people here and what we can and can’t do. It means we can have a plan in place to deal with any incident.

Letting firefighters from other stations visit means they’ll know the site, where the hydrants are and any risks. The more exercises we do like this can only benefit both parties.

08 ❙ December 2016

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!

Call the Midwife meets Holby City Highlandstyle as driver Robert stars on small screen When Robert Scott ’s wife Samantha went into labour, it wasn’t just about calling the midwife, it was more a case of lights, camera, action!

The couple from Lochgilphead were being filmed as part of Channel 5 documentary My Highland Midwife and Me – to be screened early in the new year – and that included taking

the crew into the delivery suite.

“They came to our house, filmed us at work and then they were there at the birth,” Robert explained. “It was quite fun really and as soon as Lewis was born, they left us alone.”

PERFECT DAY Robert, 36, is a FEL driver at the Lingerton Waste Disposal site and part

of the filming was done on the gorgeous Argyll & Bute coast.

“They chose the perfect day,” Robert added. “They filmed me and my manager Colin MacInnes up at the Craobh Haven Marina, with all the yachts in the background. The sun was shining and there were blue skies. They also spent time with Samantha, who is a nursery nurse in Lochgilphead.”

10-week-old TV star Lewis with his mum, Samantha, dad, Robert and brother, Taylor

Each programme will follow three mums and their midwives as they prepare to give birth, highlighting how different things are in the Highlands compared to Scotland’s cities.

Robert said: “Up here, we have the same midwife throughout the whole pregnancy, whereas in Glasgow you can have someone different for each visit.

For us it was nice because Karen, our

midwife, was a friend of my mum and dad’s, so we knew her already.”

MEMENTO And while little Lewis might have been oblivious to all the extra attention, he will have a memento of his first appearance in front of the cameras, with a DVD of the programme being sent out once it has been screened.

MEET YOUR TOP HR TEAM Working behind the scenes and often going unnoticed, the HR team make a valuable contribution to our business.

They make sure you get paid on time, that you feel fully engaged in your role and that we have the best people in our business. Meet the team with more than 34 years of Shanks experience between them.

Our team approach is ‘we can if’ rather than ‘no because’. This ensures we’re completely customerfocused MARK COWAN NAME Ria Findlay JOB TITLE HR Advisor (North) YEARS IN BUSINESS 4 (minus a short break when I was transferred to Biffa before returning) WHAT I DO Provide support and advice to the business on employee relations, performance development, recruitment, training and contractual matters.

THREE LIKES Cats, dark rum, (her majesty) Mary Berry.

THREE DISLIKES Messiness, the Kardashians, poor banter.

NAME Gary Foote JOB TITLE Senior Payroll & HR Reporting Officer YEARS IN BUSINESS 17 WHAT I DO Responsible for collation and processing of payroll for the UK. Keep up to date with the latest payroll legislation. Provide monthly detailed data to the business and respond to requests for information.

THREE LIKES My boys, Everton Football Club, running.

THREE DISLIKES Flying, poor timekeeping, Liverpool FC.

NAME Claire Stackpoole JOB TITLE HR Services Administrator YEARS IN BUSINESS 3 WHAT I DO Provide administration in accordance with company policy and legislation. Communicate with internal customers and external agencies.

Provide necessary documentation to support HR processes.

THREE LIKES Hearing children laughing, rock music, films.

THREE DISLIKES Value judgements, budgeting, dishonesty.

NAME Mark Cowan JOB TITLE Head of HR YEARS IN BUSINESS 6.5 WHAT I DO Contribute to the strategic agenda as part of the Municipal Management Team and responsible for leading the people agenda, including employee engagement, learning and development and communications.

THREE LIKES Glasgow Rangers, bad jokes and music.

THREE DISLIKES Glasgow Celtic, negativity, the cold.

NAME Linda StaceyHearn JOB TITLE HR Services & Payroll Administrator YEARS IN BUSINESS

6 months WHAT I DO Cover all aspects of HR and payroll administration, adhering to company policy, procedures and government legislation, while delivering a seamless HR services experience, internally and externally.

THREE LIKES Keeping fit, champagne, Marmite.

THREE DISLIKES Football, jam, snakes.

NAME Lisa Bailey JOB TITLE HR Advisor (ELWA) YEARS IN BUSINESS 1 month WHAT I DO The HR advisor role is responsible for providing advice and guidance to the ELWA Management Team and its staff across the ELWA sites to ensure positive and safe working practices by all.

THREE LIKES Chocolate, television, travelling.

THREE DISLIKES Curry, rudeness, cold feet.

NAME Leanne Pullen JOB TITLE HR Advisor (South) YEARS IN BUSINESS 3 WHAT I DO Support, advise and challenge departmental and site management to achieve the necessary level of competence and capability to identify and work within the appropriate HR policies and procedures.

THREE LIKES My job, white wine, spending time with friends and family.

THREE DISLIKES Being late, cold weather, exams.

Arctic enema anyone?

A muddy 10-mile run is hardly everyone’s idea of a good way to spend a Saturday.

Throw in hurdles like the 10,000volt Electroshock Therapy and the Arctic Enema’s 10 tonnes of ice and most would run the other way.

But for Sowerby Woods MBT Manager John Stanbridge and Contract Director Nick Blake, tackling the gruelling Tough Mudder event around Cheshire’s Cholmondeley Estate, complete with its 23 obstacles, was a day to remember – for the right reasons.

It was the third time Nick had taken part but it was the first time for John… and he’s already signed up for the 2017 mud-fest!

“It was thoroughly enjoyable,” John said. “It was a real good craic, although I didn’t particularly like the electric shock treatment. I only managed a couple of weeks’ training, so I plan to do a little bit more ahead of the next one, hopefully.”

December 2016 ❙ 09

News in brief

SMARTYPANTS SAYS CHEERS

A grateful mum-to-be tweeted to thank our team at Jenkins Lane HWRC. After being given a helping hand on one of the hottest days of the summer, @smartypants_999 wrote: “Supervisor at Jenkins Lane needs pat on back. Organised help for me as I’m 39 weeks pregnant and still pretending I can lift heavy stuff on my own.”

Luke Ibbotson (second from right) with his up-and-coming Barnsley bandmates

SUNS ON THE RISE Transatlantic dash ends with star-studded festival appearance When Luke Ibbotson took the call to say he was on stage at this summer’s Leeds Festival, it would be fair to presume his mind was elsewhere.

About 4,300 miles away to be exact.

The BDR accounts assistant was on holiday in Florida when he heard that his band, Heavy Suns, had been asked to play their biggest ever gig… on the day the Red Hot Chili Peppers were headlining on the main stage.

The only problem was that their festival debut was just two days away and Luke, 26, was on the other side of the Atlantic.

“I flew home, we practised the next day and then we were on stage on the Sunday,” he explained.

“It was all a bit mad but the pure excitement and buzz on the day got me through it.”

SHOEGAZER Luke is the drummer with the Barnsley-based five-piece, an indie band producing what he calls ‘shoegazer rock’ – strong on guitar and psychedelia.

“I’ve been with the band for four years and we’ve done quite a few gigs in the area. But this was the first time

we’ve played at a major festival. It was great for me because I’ve been going to the event for the past 10 years, so I’d have probably been there even if I’d

not been on stage,” he said.

Leeds Festival is one of the country’s top annual rock events and draws in the crowds, including a few celebrities.

Luke added: “It was a really good gig for us and we had loads of great publicity from it. We heard that footballer Peter Crouch and his wife Abby Clancy, the model, were in the crowd because her brother was in one of the other bands.

“They then came backstage and there he is trying to look inconspicuous. We were just hoping one of the guys didn’t go over and do his robotic dance in front of him!”

RENEWS MAKES OWN HEADLINES A big thank you to colleagues whose consistent efforts to share great news from across the business helped land ReNEWS an industry-accredited award for feature quality.

PA to the Directors Kirstie Slade, Group Communications Manager Helen Kemp and Editor Emily Craft (above l-r) were at the Institute of Internal Communications Awards, where ReNEWS received an Award of Excellence in the Best Use of Writing and Imagery category for the ‘Phoenix from the flames’ Frog Island centre spread last year.

NEW LOOK FOR OLD OFFICES Our team at Lochar Moss in Dumfries and Galloway have settled in to their new offices, describing the difference as ‘night and day’.

And according to Senior Operations Manager Dave Cheetham, it’s not just the employees who are benefiting.

“Our old offices were the ones used by the workmen when they built the site in 2003/4 and when they left, we just adopted them,” he explained.

“But they really weren’t the best. There was a total lack of space, no meeting room and we had our own internal water features when it rained. They were so cold that all the chairs had pieces of carpet underneath to keep the cold and damp out.”

He added: “Now that we have proper

BEFORE

Colleagues are now safe from ‘internal water features’ when it rains thanks to the new cabins

AFTER facilities, it’s as different as night and day. Not only are we more able to get on with our job but it also portrays the company in a better light, so we can have our meetings with the council on-site rather than having to go to them because we lacked the space.”

We can have our meetings with the council on-site rather than going to them

TOP DUO ARE FAB AT FIFTY

10 ❙ December 2016 Oystercatchers have taken a fancy to the recently replaced bio media at Lochar Moss MBT

With half a century’s experience between them, Tracy and Rob are our long-service stars

BIRD BRAINS Forget Autumnwatch and Countryfile. If you want to see the natural world in all its glory, you need only head to one of our sites.

Because the MBT facility at Lochar Moss in Dumfries and Galloway is rapidly gaining a reputation as a Mecca for bird watchers… or twitchers to the uninitiated.

SURVIVED

Ducks have been regular visitors, but this year has seen an oystercatcher nest and lay its eggs on the bio filter’s wood bark, while a pair of swans and their six cygnets have made their home on the suds pond.

Dave Cheetham, Senior Operations Manager at the

facility, explained that the conditions must have been perfect for their new feathered friends.

“We’d changed the bio filter media and because the bed of wood bark gets nice and warm, it was obviously ideal for the oystercatcher to nest on and lay her eggs.

“While it’s the first time we’ve had swans nesting, we have questioned their parenting skills because we are right next to the HWRC site, which attracts foxes and badgers, so, as a result, not all of the cygnets have survived.

“On the other hand, it does definitely show that the water quality is very good in the pond.”

When Tracy Bertram nervously turned up on the first day of her Youth Training Scheme (YTS) at our former offices in Coatbridge in 1991, she never once thought that she would still be with us 25 years later.

But Tracy is now celebrating a quarter of a century with the company and was presented with a certificate and a £250 gift voucher by former Interim Managing Director Matthew Williams during his recent roadshow visit to Argyll & Bute.

Tracy, aged 42, is now based at the Dalinlongart landfill site where she is a weighbridge administrator, a role she has enjoyed for the past four years. But Tracy has worked at other Shanks sites since those first days as a YTS. “I came straight from school in the February and was taken on six months later,” she explained.

“I stayed there for six or seven years, before working on the weighbridge at the Blochairn recycling centre. I also spent a few years working in the Accounts department, which was really interesting as it was something completely new for me.”

SWITCH Robert Rich is another A&B stalwart celebrating 25 years, a number of them spent with Argyll & Bute Council before

25-year server Robert Rich with manager Gail Orr being TUPEd over 16 years ago.

After a while as a chargehand at the Westlands Transfer Station on the Isle of Bute, Robert switched roles and has been a driver for the last five years.

FERRY Robert’s main role is to bring the waste back to the mainland via the ferry and then take materials to other sites across the region.

And having been born and bred on Bute, Robert can think of nowhere else he’d rather work.

“It’s absolutely beautiful – there’s nowhere better,” he said.

“The only problem is that the weather can be pretty bad, which can be a problem for the ferry crossing sometimes. But the ferries are,

CHAD THE LAD IN A CRISIS Operative steps in to cover for absence – and steps up to the plate

EMPLOYEE OF THE

QUARTER

Chad Ryan is someone with the solutions to the problems rather than just the problems – and that has helped him win our latest Employee of the Quarter award.

The multi-skilled operative at South Kirkby, Wakefield, was asked to take over as team leader at the facility’s MRF due to absence, and he totally embraced the situation, according to one of the three people who nominated him for the award.

One of them explained: “Peter Dilnot and his team walked around the MRF a few weeks ago and it was great to see Chad explaining the various information and KPI boards to all visitors, taking it in his stride with his normal enthusiasm

and accurate explanation.”

Another praised his attitude and added: “He ran the plant with integrity – to step up like this shows how good a character Chad is and that this company should be proud to have a young, enthusiastic and driven employee.”

But modest Chad is absolutely insistent that the prestigious award isn’t just for him.

He said: “It’s a good achievement, not just for me but for the entire team.

“I stepped up in August and I’m still doing the role now. I really enjoy it, pushing myself as much as I can to try to further my career.”

Fill in the ConnectUs nomination form and email to leanne.pullen@shanks.co.uk

thankfully, much better than they used to be these days.”

VINTAGE When not at the wheel of his lorry, 63-year-old Robert can still be found out on the road, enjoying his passion for motorbikes and vintage tractors, dating back to the 1940s and 50s.

Robert was presented with his £250 gift voucher by Argyll & Bute’s Contract Operations Manager Gail Orr, who paid tribute to his loyalty.

AND THE RUNNERS-UP WERE… Congratulations to the seven other colleagues from Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham (BDR) and South Kirkby who were nominated. l GARY DAVIES Weighbridge Controller/ Deputy MBT Supervisor, BDR (received two nominations) lC OLIN BOWDEN Maintenance Team Leader, BDR lN EIL HOPSON AND DANNY HALL In Vessel Composting team, South Kirkby lM ICK HOWEY Multi-skilled Operative, South Kirkby

DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO DESERVES SOME RECOGNITION?

NOMINATE

Tracy Bertram was thanked by former Interim MD Matthew Williams

lR EBECCA PALMER Weighbridge Operator, BDR (l-r) Contract Director Colin Fletcher presented humble Chad Ryan with his award

lP HIL RUSHFORTH Yard Supervisor, South Kirkby

December 2016 ❙ 11

Youngsters taking part in the Young Cumbria project ‘had a blast’ reinventing the doors during the summer holidays

News in brief

ACTION PLAN SAVES THE DAY

The spray art door murals were created with the help of professional graffiti artists

THE DOORS TO A BRIGHT FUTURE

Shanks donations are the key to teenagers’ graffiti workshops

Youngsters could be handed the key to the door of a career in the art world, thanks to an innovative Shanks and charity partnership.

Old doors and furniture destined for landfill were instead given artistic makeovers after we linked up with a youth charity in Cumbria.

Our teams at the area’s HWRCs donated the items, which were used by children working with the Young Cumbria project. The doors were at the top of their wish list and, armed with our donations, the youngsters

(l-r back) Amir Fakhr, Reza Malakerad and Jo Everson with (l-r front) Jonny Gleeson and Councillor Cummings

produced inspiring artwork over the summer holiday.

EXHIBITION Project Worker Ian Alcock explained: “We set up our pilot project in Workington for children aged between 11 and 17. For nine weeks we focused on graffiti, working with professional artists to create some amazing artwork.

“On one door we asked them to write a series of words describing how they saw Workington and themselves.”

The sessions proved such a hit that

the youngsters held an exhibition of their work in the centre of town, as well as staging some graffiti demonstrations and workshops.

Ian added: “It’s an art form that’s far more accepted now. In summer, we went to Manchester and saw companies using graffiti in their marketing.”

Because the pilot scheme proved so popular, the charity is running another series of events in conjunction with us, this time upcycling tables, chairs and bedside cabinets we donated.

“This is a 15-week project in

Workington and Whitehaven and there’s an entrepreneurial element to it as the items will be sold,” Ian explained.

DIFFICULT “We wanted to engage young people in the world of work and this seemed a perfect way of doing it. Even though we’re a charity, it’s difficult for us to get materials, so having this link with Shanks is ideal. The donations are really appreciated and it’s good to know that some of the things being thrown away are getting reused.”

MEMORY GARDEN TO PAY RESPECTS Finding a quiet place for contemplation at an otherwise busy site is not always easy, but employees at our Wakefield Household Waste Recycling Centre have decided to turn this vision into reality in memory of two of their former colleagues.

Site Operatives Paul Rogers and Sam Holmes took a leading role transforming a formerly concreted space into a beautiful memorial garden, painting the bench and wooded area as well as laying the gravel to create an area designed as a tribute to former colleagues Paul Sharp and Gary Peel, who have passed away.

Being a good neighbour is one of our priorities and Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham (BDR) have gone above and beyond to make sure they are just that, after a recent complaint.

When a retail giant, based next to the Waste Treatment Facility, expressed concern over the number of flies near their warehouse, BDR MBT Manager Nick Smith immediately engaged an action plan.

After Nick increased the spraying schedule in the MBT facility and the number of vehicle cleans, as well as giving the retail representatives a tour, the neighbour reported a significant improvement.

BDR’s Community Education Liaison Officer Abi Cox said: “A lot of effort goes into maintaining good relationships with our complainants, making things a lot easier to manage if problems do occur.”

The memorial garden, officially opened by Wakefield Councillor Maureen Cummings, is now home to a thriving bed of conifers, bulbs and seasonal plants.

TRIBUTE Site Administrator Jo Everson and Wakefield District Council StreetScene Officer Paul Nicholson designed the flower area that all site colleagues have agreed to manage between them, by watering and weeding.

Jo explained: “A few of us thought it would be a fitting tribute to Paul and Gary and a place where we could remember them and pay our respects.”

CIVVY CHRIS HELPS COMRADES Despite living a civilian life for more than 10 years, our UK Plant and Vehicles Manager Chris Byrne hasn’t completely left his army days behind him and has raised an amazing £50,000 for military charity Help for Heroes during the last six years.

Chris has even managed to Make More From Waste in the process, selling a load of mobile phone car installation kits and charging adapters found languishing in head office cupboards pre-refit, to raise an incredible £3,071.

WIN!

12 ❙ December 2016

FANTASY FOOTBALL

An Amazon Echo Speaker

Have a go for your chance to win this smart speaker

The Amazon Echo is more than just a speaker; it’s a personal assistant, with its voice-control feature that can tell you anything from what tomorrow’s weather will be to the name of the track you’re listening to.

When you want to use Echo, you simply say the wake word ‘Alexa’ and Echo responds. The potential is

endless thanks to the compatable software, but not to be overlooked, perhaps the most straightforward feature of this nifty gadget is the 360-degree surround sound that plays crystal-clear music.

For your chance to win, simply answer the following question (clue – the answer is in this issue).

Q

How many lorry loads of bales leave Frog Island and Jenkins Lane each day now the new balers are installed?

All entries must be submitted by the closing date of 9 January 2017.

Make sure to include your name, job title and contact details when you submit your competition entry.

TEXT: 07860 021367 EMAIL: shanks@madebysonder.com TERMS AND CONDITIONS The editor’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. ReNEWS reserves the right to change the prize without prior notice. The prize cannot be exchanged for cash.

JUST FOR FUN SPOT THE DIFFERENCE It’s not often an item as valuable as a piano turns up at one of our HWRCs, so rather than disposing of the instrument pictured, Chigwell Road colleagues kindly donated it to British Heart Foundation to be rehomed.

But all is not as it seems. Can you spot the five differences between the two pictures?

It’s tight at the top of the Shanks Fantasy Football league, with UK Plant and Vehicles Manager Chris Byrne’s Phoenix V currently leading the field, hotly pursued by Maintenance Engineer Stan Tassell.

More than 50 would-be Arsène Wengers from around the company signed up to the competition, which sees our Engineering Manager Richard Hodgson’s It’s Grim Up North side comfortable in third.

League organiser and Stoke fan Alistair Brookes’s Overpaid Donkeys are living up to their name in 38th place.

MANAGER’S NAME

PTS

1 Chris Byrne

659

2 Stan Tassell

647

3 Richard Hodgson

625

4 Paul Fleming

617

5 Jo Everson

611

6 Kyle Barratt

611

7 Barry Maughan

603

8 Craig Owen

597

9 Nathan Gorry

595

10 Claire Stanton

595

LAST ISSUE’S WINNER!

Congratulations to last issue’s competition winner, Elstow Site Administrator Michelle Williams, who won an Amazon Fire 10’ Tablet.

Answers: 1. Metal framework missing 2. Piece missing from musical rest 3. Black keys missing 4. Pedal missing 5. White band added on safety barrier

…

Farewell to D&G MBT Plant Operator Kenny Thompson (below left) who retired this year after nearly eight years with us. Congratulations to BDR colleagues Joe Waring and Jamie Goddard who recently became proud dads. Joe welcomed Alexa May in October and Jamie’s new addition, Riley, arrived in November.

Jill Tidswell raised £378.10 from a Macmillan Coffee Morning at Wakefield. As well as plenty of cakes, there was a ‘home-made v bought’ blind taste test in which Craig Capper (above right) scooped the perfect score! Colleagues from Cumbria supported the Tour of Britain cycle event by donating push bikes disposed of at their HWRCs. Ambleside Together Chairman Andrew Hewitt (below right) opted to paint the bikes blue, white and green to represent the colours of Cumbria.

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