eXchange – Winter 2015

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Winter 2015

The magazine for First people in the Midlands

Eye-catching

NEW BUSES SET TO

wow

PASSENGERS

A copy of eXchange has been printed for

EVERY EMPLOYEE PAGE THREE

Please take your copy to keep.

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New buses are an opportunity to really boost our services

By Managing Director

Nigel Eggleton

THE multi-million pound investment in new buses is now really bearing fruit as we see more and more state-of-the-art vehicles arriving at our depots.

Impressive looking StreetDecks and Streetlites have gone into service during the autumn and winter months boosting our fleet and catching the eye of passengers.

However, they are just one element of what makes a public transport company run well and successfully deliver for its customers. The biggest element is the people we employ – from the drivers to the engineers who keep the wheels turning and the allocators and cleaners who play an equally vital role.

So, this is not a time to sit back on laurels and admire these impressive new buses. It is a time to use them as a catalyst to really propel things forward, enhance services and demonstrate our commitment to customers.

As always, safety is a paramount in the workplace and particularly in the dark winter months accidents can be waiting around the corner.

That is why in this issue of eXchange we are taking a look at some simple ways of preventing accidents in the depots and incidents on the buses.

I’m delighted to see how many of you have had your say by taking part in the Your Voice Survey. As well as raising a substantial amount of money for charity, all your views will help shape the future of the company. Over the next few months we will be reporting back to you on the findings and on how changes will be implemented. Thanks again for taking part.

Finally, I’m sure you will want to join me in praising colleagues in The Potteries who have taken part in a charity calendar in aid of breast cancer care.

It is particularly fitting given the fact that co-organiser, Driver Jaydon Phillips-Sadler, is bravely battling the disease. I’m sure they would appreciate all your support.

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Raising aware of breast cancer care is Driver Jaydon Phillips-Sadler, back row far right, and her fellow calendar girls, back row left to right – Vanessa Cooke, Emma Phillips, Michele Gibson, Mandy Hargreaves, Lynsey Harrington and Joanne Machin. Front row left to right, Cloey Walker, Kerrie Bailey, Nikki Swann, Lindsay Phillips-Sadler, Barbara Jones and Vonny Wild.

Fun calendar to raise awareness group of 12 First Potteries ladies took part in a Calendar Girls-style photo shoot in aid of breast cancer care after fellow driver Jaydon Phillips-Sadler was diagnosed with the disease.

They posed tastefully for a fun calendar, which is expected to raise hundreds of pounds for research into the disease.

Adderley Green Driver Jaydon had already planned to do the calendar before a routine screening in August revealed that she had breast cancer. The 49-year-old has had a double mastectomy and has now been given the all-clear.

First Potteries organised the printing of the calendar which now means that all donations raised can go to the charity. Colleagues are also organising a charity ball for 2016 with the help of local sponsors.

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They have already raised £1,349 from a cake stall and bucket collection outside Hanley bus station. The group also hopes to draw attention to lowering the age at which women are invited for free routine mammograms, which is currently 50.

Jaydon said: “It was ironic that I was diagnosed with breast cancer after we planned to do the calendar. We had a fantastic time on the shoot. We want to raise as much awareness about breast cancer as we can.”

First Midlands PR Manager Ady Culpin said: “It’s fantastic to see so many colleagues getting involved and showing their support.” ● Male colleagues at First Potteries have also got in on the act by producing their own cheeky boys calender with proceeds going to the Group Charity of Choice, Prostate Cancer UK.

Discounts are great way to save cash EMPLOYEES can make big savings on everything from the weekly shop, cinema tickets and even holidays thanks to the First Bus My Rewards scheme.

Partners offering discounts as well as exclusive deals already include Thomas Cook, Expedia, Toys R Us, M&S, Currys and PC World as well as Asda, Sainsbury’s, Boots, B&Q, Argos and Pizza Express.

The scheme, designed to

help staff squeeze value out of every pound in their pay packet, also offers free UK bus travel, money off rail fares and useful information on pay and pensions.

Signing up is simple – just log on at firstmyrewards.com with your National Insurance Number and get saving straight away.

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Dan returns to where

his career began IRST Potteries’ new General Manager is enjoying a return to the place where his career in the bus industry first began.

Dan Flanagan is back based at Hanley Bus Station – 10 years after he started out there as a Trainee Driver.

Since then he has gone on to hold a number of roles with First, and more recently another transport operator, including Driver Mentor, Relief Controller and Assistant General Manager.

He said: “I’m really excited about my return to First. The opportunity to be general manager and oversee the network that I started out driving on really motivated me to take on the role. I’m hoping to continue the good work that has been done so far as there’s always scope for improvement.

It’d also be nice to see a period of stability as there have been quite a few changes at the depot recently.

“Having had a variety of roles means I’ve got hands-on experience in probably 99 per cent of functions within the industry, which will help greatly in the new job.

“My colleagues are all very supportive – it was great walking in to see so many familiar faces. Sitting in the canteen with John Knapper, who mentored me all those years ago, and all the other guys is particularly brilliant.”

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Dan Flanagan pictured at Hanley Bus Station where he started out as a Trainee Driver.

New double deckers go into service FIVE brand new double deck buses have made their bow in Leicester and have gone straight into service on a key route.

They are part of £3.6 million worth of state-of-the-art vehicles heading to the city, which in turn form part of a £5.8 million investment by First in the Midlands this winter.

The new buses, which are set to wow passengers, are all operating on the 14/14A service. They come fitted with leather seats, CCTV and WiFi, providing customers with free internet access during their journey.

In addition, four of the StreetDeck vehicles have been rolled out in Worcester and have now gone into service.

All the new vehicles – which have a distinctive, eye-catching livery – have been fitted with eco-friendly Euro 6 engines to help improve air quality.

Test results show that running eight Euro 6 buses produces the same amount of certain exhaust emissions, including oxides of nitrogen and particulate matter as running one bus with a Euro 5 engine.

A tasty way to help a good cause MOUTH-WATERING bacon and sausage baps were on the menu as Leicester depot staged a charity breakfast morning for a cause close to the company’s heart.

A total of £140 was raised for Macmillan Cancer Care as people paid £2 a time to tuck into the savoury favourites as well as Danish pastries, cookies, muffins and other cakes baked by staff.

A raffle was also organised and First Bus made a donation to increase the fundraising total.

Depot Administrator Gaynor Johnson said: “Everyone really rallied round and we managed to put on a really good breakfast spread. I would like to particularly thank Beverly Bates, one of the cleaners here, who helped me organise everything.

“Macmillan Cancer Care is still very close to the hearts of many of the employees here, so we want to keep raising money for the charity, which is why we staged the breakfast morning.”

“I’d like to thank everyone who helped prepare the food or baked cakes as well as those who made donations on the day.”

Gaynor is now planning a teddy bear raffle to raise money for children’s charities.

Boost for students

One of the new buses in service in Leicester.

The cover picture features Driver Mohinder Singh Sangha.

EVENTS at universities and colleges across the region saw First Bus leaflets and freebies handed out to hundreds of students to encourage them to use public transport.

A team of First employees, helped by mascot Freddie the Frog, toured universities including Leicester, Worcester, Keele and Staffordshire, as well as Leicester College.

Students were handed leaflets promoting special student tickets, network guides, canvas bags and pens.

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In the first in a series of regular business features, eXchange sheds the spotlight on the growing Adderley Green engineering operation and its challenges ahead...

Almost half take part in employee survey NEARLY half of people working for First Midlands have taken part in the Your Voice Survey and helped to raise thousands of pounds for First’s chosen charity partner in the process.

Colleagues from Adderley Green, Leicester and Worcester joined employees from across the country in having their say in the wide sweeping questionnaire.

Hundreds at the three depots either filled in the form online or responded on paper raising £745 for Prostate Cancer UK. They are among more

Tell us about your previous jobs with First or elsewhere? than 9,000 First Bus people UK-wide who took part – generating £22,715 in the process. The money was raised after First pledged to donate £1 for each paper survey returned and £2 for each on completed online.

For more details about the survey visit the Better Journeys for Life website.

Trimmer Carl Mountford cuts out upholstery for a seatback as part of bus interior refurbishment.

I started with First in 1992, as a part time Clerical Assistant.

Before that I worked for the Ford Motor Company in Leicester, as a Service Receptionist for eight years. I have always enjoyed working in a transport environment.

Assistant Engineering Manager Michael Johnson carries out safety checks in the department.

What is the main challenge of your job?

As I do numerous jobs in my current role as Administrator, it can be quite challenging to keep in front and on top of them all.

If you had a time machine which era would you visit and why?

greater reliability NGINEERING operations have been expanded at Adderley Green depot – to ensure that First Potteries’ growing fleet of buses is ready for service each day and to boost reliability out on the roads.

A total of 130 buses are now maintained at the state-of-the-art depot which has undergone thousands of pounds of infrastructure investment over the last few years and the installation of enhanced safety measures.

As well as the existing team, a total of 22 employees from the former Newcastle-under-Lyme engineering works joined in the autumn, swelling the number of employees to 62. And the transition has also seen the depot take responsibility for a third more buses.

Led by Engineering Manager Kevin Madeley, who has worked at the depot since it opened in 1993, specialist roles include coach builders, electricians, vehicle inspectors and painters.

The engineering team works in shifts around the clock to support operations and make sure all buses are ready for the road, carrying out MOTs as well as around eight routine vehicle inspections every day.

To help with the extra responsibility and expanding duties, an assistant manager and two workshop supervisors now support Kevin in

E Foodbank Project Manager Anna Willcocks and First Midlands MD Nigel Eggleton with bus passes donated by the company.

Free bus journeys for families using foodbank

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minutes with

GAYNOR JOHNSON, Depot Administrator at Leicester, takes time out to tell eXchange about her love of cooking and why she would time-travel back to the 1970s.

Team aim to deliver

NEEDY families picking up food parcels this winter can now enjoy free bus travel thanks to First Potteries.

The company is working with the Stoke-on-Trent Foodbank to offer one free journey to people who need to return home after collecting their emergency packages.

It follows concerns that some people have struggled to walk home with heavy food parcels.

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Earlier this year First Potteries announced that volunteers working at foodbanks could travel free on its buses.

Anna Willcocks, Project Manager for the Stoke-on-Trent Foodbank, said: “With the generous support from First Potteries, we can provide travel for our volunteers who come to help at our warehouse and at our supermarket collections if they are also struggling on low income.”

I would have to say the 70s.

I love the music and the diversity of the clothes for that era.

Which famous people, alive or dead, would you invite to a dinner party and why?

Painter Graham Robinson hand paints a livery.

Comedian Russell Howard for the entertainment, Hollywood actor Chris Hemsworth because I can – and who wouldn’t, ladies! Michelin chef Michel Roux to talk about all aspects of cooking, as it’s something I

What has been your proudest achievement?

Having my son and daughter, and my passion for doing charity work.

How do you relax?

I enjoy weekends away with my husband, eating out with friends and shopping – which everyone knows I like.

What is your favourite food and do you cook it?

It has to be Indian food.

Anything from butter chicken to naan bread. I have been on all sorts of cookery courses – so I can cook the food from scratch.

Where do you like to go on holiday?

My favourite place is America, so many places to see and enjoy.

Best bit of advice?

To just do the best you can in life, and live life to the full!

Vehicle Inspector Jon Ford carries out a routine monthly check on a bus.

Engineering Manager Kevin Madeley in the Adderley Green works.

planning the day-to-day running of the depot.

Kevin said: “It is certainly a time of transition. We’ve only been operating in this new way since September so at the moment it’s all about getting used to the changes.

“However, In a couple of months we’ll sit down as a team and assess how things are going and whether anything needs to be adjusted slightly.

“The expansion has seen us take

love. Finally, Mary Berry so that we could discuss The Great British Bake Off.

on a lot more responsibility in terms of the number of buses we maintain but the aim is that this co-ordinated approach will help us reduce defects and lost road time due to mechanical failure. It is vitally important that our customers get reliable buses running on time and that starts with the work of the engineering team.

“We have a lot of good working practices in place but the new management staff are giving extra

support on the workshop floor as the number of buses we service has increased massively.”

Kevin also praised new colleagues who have joined the operation from elsewhere in North Staffordshire.

He added: “Having the employees from the Newcastle depot joining us has also been a great experience.

They’ve had to get used to a slightly new way of doing things but they are getting used to that and fitting in well.”

Gaynor Johnson at Leicester depot.

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In the first in a series of regular business features, eXchange sheds the spotlight on the growing Adderley Green engineering operation and its challenges ahead...

Almost half take part in employee survey NEARLY half of people working for First Midlands have taken part in the Your Voice Survey and helped to raise thousands of pounds for First’s chosen charity partner in the process.

Colleagues from Adderley Green, Leicester and Worcester joined employees from across the country in having their say in the wide sweeping questionnaire.

Hundreds at the three depots either filled in the form online or responded on paper raising £745 for Prostate Cancer UK. They are among more

Tell us about your previous jobs with First or elsewhere? than 9,000 First Bus people UK-wide who took part – generating £22,715 in the process. The money was raised after First pledged to donate £1 for each paper survey returned and £2 for each on completed online.

For more details about the survey visit the Better Journeys for Life website.

Trimmer Carl Mountford cuts out upholstery for a seatback as part of bus interior refurbishment.

I started with First in 1992, as a part time Clerical Assistant.

Before that I worked for the Ford Motor Company in Leicester, as a Service Receptionist for eight years. I have always enjoyed working in a transport environment.

Assistant Engineering Manager Michael Johnson carries out safety checks in the department.

What is the main challenge of your job?

As I do numerous jobs in my current role as Administrator, it can be quite challenging to keep in front and on top of them all.

If you had a time machine which era would you visit and why?

greater reliability NGINEERING operations have been expanded at Adderley Green depot – to ensure that First Potteries’ growing fleet of buses is ready for service each day and to boost reliability out on the roads.

A total of 130 buses are now maintained at the state-of-the-art depot which has undergone thousands of pounds of infrastructure investment over the last few years and the installation of enhanced safety measures.

As well as the existing team, a total of 22 employees from the former Newcastle-under-Lyme engineering works joined in the autumn, swelling the number of employees to 62. And the transition has also seen the depot take responsibility for a third more buses.

Led by Engineering Manager Kevin Madeley, who has worked at the depot since it opened in 1993, specialist roles include coach builders, electricians, vehicle inspectors and painters.

The engineering team works in shifts around the clock to support operations and make sure all buses are ready for the road, carrying out MOTs as well as around eight routine vehicle inspections every day.

To help with the extra responsibility and expanding duties, an assistant manager and two workshop supervisors now support Kevin in

E Foodbank Project Manager Anna Willcocks and First Midlands MD Nigel Eggleton with bus passes donated by the company.

Free bus journeys for families using foodbank

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WINTER 2015

minutes with

GAYNOR JOHNSON, Depot Administrator at Leicester, takes time out to tell eXchange about her love of cooking and why she would time-travel back to the 1970s.

Team aim to deliver

NEEDY families picking up food parcels this winter can now enjoy free bus travel thanks to First Potteries.

The company is working with the Stoke-on-Trent Foodbank to offer one free journey to people who need to return home after collecting their emergency packages.

It follows concerns that some people have struggled to walk home with heavy food parcels.

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Earlier this year First Potteries announced that volunteers working at foodbanks could travel free on its buses.

Anna Willcocks, Project Manager for the Stoke-on-Trent Foodbank, said: “With the generous support from First Potteries, we can provide travel for our volunteers who come to help at our warehouse and at our supermarket collections if they are also struggling on low income.”

I would have to say the 70s.

I love the music and the diversity of the clothes for that era.

Which famous people, alive or dead, would you invite to a dinner party and why?

Painter Graham Robinson hand paints a livery.

Comedian Russell Howard for the entertainment, Hollywood actor Chris Hemsworth because I can – and who wouldn’t, ladies! Michelin chef Michel Roux to talk about all aspects of cooking, as it’s something I

What has been your proudest achievement?

Having my son and daughter, and my passion for doing charity work.

How do you relax?

I enjoy weekends away with my husband, eating out with friends and shopping – which everyone knows I like.

What is your favourite food and do you cook it?

It has to be Indian food.

Anything from butter chicken to naan bread. I have been on all sorts of cookery courses – so I can cook the food from scratch.

Where do you like to go on holiday?

My favourite place is America, so many places to see and enjoy.

Best bit of advice?

To just do the best you can in life, and live life to the full!

Vehicle Inspector Jon Ford carries out a routine monthly check on a bus.

Engineering Manager Kevin Madeley in the Adderley Green works.

planning the day-to-day running of the depot.

Kevin said: “It is certainly a time of transition. We’ve only been operating in this new way since September so at the moment it’s all about getting used to the changes.

“However, In a couple of months we’ll sit down as a team and assess how things are going and whether anything needs to be adjusted slightly.

“The expansion has seen us take

love. Finally, Mary Berry so that we could discuss The Great British Bake Off.

on a lot more responsibility in terms of the number of buses we maintain but the aim is that this co-ordinated approach will help us reduce defects and lost road time due to mechanical failure. It is vitally important that our customers get reliable buses running on time and that starts with the work of the engineering team.

“We have a lot of good working practices in place but the new management staff are giving extra

support on the workshop floor as the number of buses we service has increased massively.”

Kevin also praised new colleagues who have joined the operation from elsewhere in North Staffordshire.

He added: “Having the employees from the Newcastle depot joining us has also been a great experience.

They’ve had to get used to a slightly new way of doing things but they are getting used to that and fitting in well.”

Gaynor Johnson at Leicester depot.

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Moving safety performance to the next level A major campaign to engage colleagues around the country in moving safety performance to the next level will be rolled out early in 2016.

The aim is to focus on safety and involve all employees in eliminating serious injuries and fatalities in the workplace by reinforcing and developing positive behaviour. New Head of Safety Angus Glasby said: “I have spent time visiting different sites.

“It is clear there is an enthusiasm and commitment to safety at all levels.

“I am keen to build on this and over the coming months everyone will see a greater emphasis on changing workplace behaviours. The aim is for us all to take ownership of our own safety and others’ to enable everyone to ‘Be Safe’.” ● Look out for more news of ‘Be Safe’ in the months to come.

Celebrations of success mark a

busy year T’S been another fast-paced but thoroughly enjoyable year.

We’ve overcome many challenges, and have more to face, but it’s been a year which has seen lots achieved!

Firstly, I am delighted so many colleagues felt inspired and engaged to have their say in the Your Voice survey and on what we need to do to improve the business. We are currently

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12,057 respond to staff survey SEVEN out of every ten First Bus employees took part in this year’s Your Voice survey... the biggest response ever.

More than 12,000 colleagues took time to give the company their feedback, and a response of this size helps First Bus address areas where employees said improvements were needed.

As a result of the fantastic 70 per cent response £22,715 has been donated to Prostate Cancer UK. Now the results are being analysed – they will be reported back and action to address some key issues will begin soon.

First Bus Managing Director Giles Fearnley said: “Feedback really does matter and will help us create a better business for everyone.”

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By First Bus Managing Director

Giles Fearnley Pat Bennett, Worcester Depot Garage Liaison Officer for Unite the Union, with one of the posters promoting the Your Voice survey. working through all the responses we have received.

Celebrating success at the inaugural First Bus Excellence Awards was undoubtedly one of the highlights of 2015. We received more than 1,100 nominations for outstanding individuals and teams. All of them deserve thanks and recognition.

It was an honour to attend the ceremonies and the winners all now go forward to represent First Bus in the Group’s Be First awards in January.

We’ve also celebrated a number of industry award wins in 2015, demonstrating our commitment to the business, our

people and our customers.

We are all proud that colleagues’ actions so strongly embody the company’s vision and values: being committed to our customers, accountable for performance, dedicated to safety, supportive of each other and setting the highest standards.

Within every one of our businesses, much has been achieved in 2015. We have seen very significant investment (not just in buses!), network changes designed to encourage more people to travel with us, greater use of mobile tickets and in some areas, smart ticketing – amongst

many other things.

We have continued to work hard to strengthen the all important relationships we have with our local authority partners.

It has been a good year. We do however have much more to do as we strive to our goal of delivering excellent customer service – always.

I promise therefore that 2016 will be another busy year! I want to thank everyone for their great contribution through the year and hope all colleagues have a relaxing, enjoyable Christmas and a healthy and prosperous New Year.

Bring the page to life with our exciting mobile app

Download our free First Bus AR app from the app store.

Scan the photo or logo where you see the ‘Scan Here’ marker.

When the video starts, double-tap your screen for full screen view.

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Driver Mahmadaslam Patel checks the position of his nearside mirror before setting off – which is particularly important during the dark months so that drivers can be sure of being aware of motorbikes, bicycles and pedestrians.

Take extra care in the

winter weather VERYONE is being urged to take extra care as winter weather draws in and potentially dangerous road conditions bring a fresh challenge.

Safety reps are working with employees across the OpCo to set the highest standards and warn them about potential hazards and draw their attention to staying vigilant at all times.

Being aware of other road users and maintaining eye contact with pedestrians and

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fellow drivers is seen as key in preventing incidents on the road.

And at the depot, a concerted effort to clamp down on slips, trips and falls and sticking to designated walkways and work areas will help to minimise accidents as dark nights draw in.

Drivers are asked to be extra vigilant about motorbikes, bicycles and pedestrians. They should double-check their nearside lane mirrors when turning left to make sure they won’t be causing problems for

road users on two wheels.

And they are asked to pay particular attention to weather forecasts and check notice boards for any upcoming issues that could affect journeys.

Leicester General Manager Carl Woolley said: “Safety is always our number one priority but at this time of the year darker nights and difficult road conditions can make the job more challenging.

We’d ask everyone to stay vigilant, make sensible decisions and follow safety procedures.”

Heritage bus scoops best-in-class award

Worcester Driver Calvin Lewis with the award winning Dennis Trident.

DEDICATED bus enthusiasts from Worcester and Leicester depots scooped a top prize at Showbus 2015 – the largest showcase of public transport vehicles in the country.

They took three heritage buses to be displayed at the show, which took place at Woburn Abbey, Bedfordshire. And their efforts were rewarded when Worcester’s Dennis Trident double decker – which is painted in Midland Red heritage livery – impressed judges and won a best-in-class certificate.

Worcester Driver and Midland Red bus enthusiast Jamie Holmes said: “It gives us a chance to show off the vehicles, catch up, and have a great day out all at the same time – as well as promoting the company in a positive way.

“We were delighted to win the certificate as we put a lot of effort into cleaning and polishing the buses ready to be judged.”

Volunteers sought for outstations NEW outstations are being planned for Crewe and Newcastle-under-Lyme, with volunteers being sought to staff the two locations.

The Newcastle outstation will potentially involve six buses, with around 12 drivers operating services 72, 22 and 97.

Meanwhile, a piece of land has been located in Crewe and will be available for use from January. It is hoped that four buses with nine or 10 drivers will operate from this site.

Anyone interested in volunteering at one of the outstations, or for more details about the role, should contact First Potteries Staff Manager Zena Astley on 01782 468134.

Open day success THE second annual Leicester depot open day was held in conjunction with a vintage bus event staged by the city’s Transport Heritage Trust.

Visitors had the chance to drive a bus around a course within the Abbey Lane depot, with money raised going to local prostate cancer charity Prostaid.

More than 20 First employees gave up their time to help run the event which also featured guided tours and saw the first of five Wrightbus StreetDecks go on display.

Family fun day at depot SCORES attended a family fun day organised by staff at Worcester depot.

Colleagues donned sumo suits, had fun on a bouncy castle and enjoyed a barbecue and ice creams.

There was also face painting and a pool competition.

The event was organised

by Garage Liaison Officer Pat Bennett and Driver Paul Smith and was funded jointly

by Unite the Union and the drivers’ own social fund.

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Boxing is a knockout fundraiser DRIVERS at Worcester have formed a white-collar boxing club with the aim of delivering a knockout fundraising total for Cancer Research UK. Shane Taylor, Dan Chivers, Dan Wickes and Carl Eaton have all pulled on their gloves and started training for bouts in the ring.

The group wanted to combine getting fit with raising money for a good cause and saw the popular sport as a great way to achieve both.

Carl said: “White-collar boxing gives people the chance to enjoy the sport in a safe and comfortable environment. Everyone wears protective headgear and gloves and it is well regulated.

“We want to get fit first and do a few sparring matches before signing up for some proper bouts with a fundraising theme.”

Worcester Driver Antonio Gouveia, right, with dumbbells and Control Room Analyst Darren Senft with a pedometer are among the first members of the new healthy lifestyle club.

New health club to

boost well-being healthy lifestyle club has been set up to encourage Worcester employees to hit sensible fitness targets, adjust their diets and generally be more active in all aspects of their lives.

The club – run in partnership with a local gym – is open to all colleagues and gives members the opportunity to achieve tailored goals. These could be losing weight to go on holiday, gaining muscle for a sporting event or finding out more about eating and cooking healthier meals.

Weekly meetings will be held, at which members can track their individual progress while sharing tips and encouraging each other.

Vertical Limit gym will be

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providing diet plans and exercise programmes and offering access to facilities for those who want to work out.

The club was set up after Worcester employees were inspired by a similar healthy lifestyle scheme at another depot. They read about the Potteries Phat Club in an earlier issue of eXchange and decided to follow its lead.

More than 20 employees have already signed up and meetings will officially start in early 2016.

Organiser and Driver Jamie Holmes said: “When we saw what our colleagues in the Potteries were doing we thought that would be ideal for us, so we decided to set up our own club.

“It works for everyone because it can be as simple as getting a few tips on eating more healthily.

At the other end of the scale we have employees here who are competing in sporting events and want to hit specific fitness targets.

“Generally speaking though it is about everyone getting a little bit fitter in a way that works for them. This might start with using a pedometer to calculate how far they are walking and how they can increase that day by day.

“Because of the sedentary nature of a driver’s work it is not always easy to stay active, so this is a great way to make a difference and motivate one another at the same time.”

Pat’s razor is set aside NORMALLY clean-shaven First Midlands Employee Director Pat Shaw set aside his razor for a month to grow his facial hair in aid of Prostate Cancer UK. He was joined by 15 fellow employee directors from UK-wide OpCos for the fundraiser. They are set to top last year’s efforts to raise £1,300, helping draw attention to men’s health issues along the way.

Pat said: “Facial hair is totally new to most of us – only two of the guys grew any before we started doing this.”

Head shave for charity FIRST Potteries Driver Barbara Jones celebrated her 60th birthday in hair-raising style… by having her head shaved for a good cause.

She was joined by friend Janine Croxton – who is the wife of Lifelong Learning Rep Wayne – for the charity stunt.

The £1,500 proceeds are being donated to Breast Cancer Research.