Waste fleet move to HVO means 90% CO2 reduction
page 6
On the road with Municipal assisted collections page 14
Meet the interns who have been learning about all aspects of Quarry Products, from production through to administration.
Waste Solutions’ Bristol depot has changed fuel to Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil, which will help reduce fuel-related carbon emissions by up to 90%.
Cerney Wick Quarry was once again the scene for a dig which yielded a treasure trove of palaeontological wonders.
The longest drive, nearest the hole and a local champion retaining his professional title were just some of the highlights at the 41st Hills’ golf day.
We follow one of Municipal Collections’ crews as they lend a helping hand to Wiltshire residents with assisted collections.
The Hills Group has once again ensured that local charities, clubs and groups had a summer to remember.
Read how the HR team worked with stakeholders across the business to deliver an eLearning platform which is transforming training and education.
One of our sites was once again the focus of the palaeontological world - as the #TuskForce of volunteers from the academic and scientific communities, descended on Cerney Wick. Three weeks of digging, led by Quarry Products’ own Sally Hollingworth, resulted in an amazing haul of artefacts and remains - shedding light on what life was like in our part of the world during the Jurassic and Ice Ages. Read more about Mammoth 2.1 and the media attention it attracted on pages 8-10.
From looking back at prehistoric times, it seems fitting that we also look to the future in this issue, to recap on the changes at board level which will see three key figures retire over the next year (page 4). We also say hello to Quarry Products’ interns, as we look to introduce new talent into the business (page 5).
As we explore opportunities across The Hills Group to reduce our carbon emissions, it is encouraging to hear about the successful trial of HVO fuel at our Bristol Depot (page 6).
For Wiltshire residents who cannot put their bins out due to illness or infirmity, Municipal Collections provides an essential service. What’s more, assisted collections are provided with a smile and no shortage of community spirit (page 14).
Mike Hill, Chief Executive
There have been a number of changes at board level following the announcement that three key figures in the business will be retiring.
Alan Pardoe, Group Chairman has decided that the year the company will celebrate its 125th anniversary, will also be the year he steps down from his role as Chairman on 30 September 2025.
Nick King, Group Director - Homes, has also decided to retire from his role in the summer of 2025, after 34 years’ of service. Recruitment for the new position of Divisional Managing Director - Homes to replace Nick will begin in early 2025.
Additionally, Pete Andrew Group Director - Quarry Products, has expressed his wish to retire from his current role at the end of this calendar year. Pete will continue to assist the business in a consultancy capacity. Steve Huntly will be replacing Pete in the role of Divisional Managing Director – Quarry Products. You can find out more about Steve and the legacy Pete leaves in the next issue of intouch.
On the 01 May, Ed Dodd moved from his current role as Group Director - Waste and Resource Management to Deputy Chief Executive, reporting to Mike Hill. Ed continues to oversee waste activities. Recruitment for the position of Divisional Managing Director - Waste Activities is underway. Ed is also working closely with Pete and Nick until they leave their current roles. Looking ahead, on the 1st of October 2025, Ed will replace Mike Hill as Group Chief Executive. Mike Hill will then take up the position of Group Chairman following Alan Pardoe’s retirement.
Jon Bucksey, Finance Director of Hills Waste Solutions moved to Group Finance Director overseeing the finance function, sitting on the Group Board.
In addition, Dave Bevan, Finance Director, joined the Group Board, and continues to oversee the IT, and Group Treasury functions.
Reflecting on the changes, Chief Executive Mike Hill said:
“Please join me in wishing Ed, Jon and Dave good luck in their new roles. These changes will be taking place over a 12-month period, and will provide smooth transition, stability and continuity. I am confident that these changes will deliver strength and depth with our senior leadership team for the years ahead.”
This summer, Quarry Products appointed three undergraduate interns for seven weeks with a view to ensuring the business does not face a skills shortage in the long term.
Having previously been an intern and graduate trainee, Olly Thompson, Production Manager, aged 29, describes this as a good move: “I have enjoyed strong career progression with Hills since starting as an intern between the second and third year of my degree, and then as a Graduate Trainee Manager.”
Interns Shahrad, Tom and Laura have been learning about all aspects of Quarry Products from production through to administration.
“Since joining, the company has employed the industry’s first Mobile Plant Operative (MPO) apprentice and more recently another graduate trainee, Cameron Crawford-Purcell who is now an Assistant Quarry Manager. It is vital that we engage a younger and more diverse workforce in what is an exciting and changing industry.”
Olly Thompson, Production Manager
Shahrad Behboudi, who recently graduated in Economics at Lancaster University said: “I have enjoyed my time at Quarry Products so much and found it easy to fit in. We were introduced to the business from the ground up, getting involved in everything from maintenance on sites, through to accompanying drivers and making telephone sales. I would love to work at Hills if an opportunity arose.”
Biochemistry student, Laura Sear, who is completing a combined Master’s degree at Cardiff, agreed: “As a young woman I was slightly apprehensive about going on site, but my fears were unfounded. Everyone was very welcoming and my experience has been insightful. I would love to explore opportunities in project management in relation to the environment and have been impressed by Quarry Products’ restorations.”
Tom Griffin said: “My politics degree at Cardiff is useful as a general-purpose qualification and has given me skills in economics, law and philosophy. The experience with Hills has been very enjoyable. It was great to spend time in a compact company where interdepartmental communication smooths the way. I have learned so much from an end-to-end business involved in all aspects of production and fulfilment.”
Waste Solutions is going the extra mile for a sustainable future, as the Bristol fleet of HGVs has changed fuel from diesel to Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) - a move which will reduce fuel-related Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions by up to 90%.
Nathan Carr, Divisional Fleet Manager commented: “All Hills’ frontline HGVs operating out of the Bristol Depot are already ULEZ compliant, as they meet the latest Euro 6 regulations for emissions. We are committed to not only managing waste sustainably, but also powering our operations in a more environmentally friendly way. That’s why we have chosen to go the extra mile and fuel our fleet with HVO, as it can reduce CO 2 emissions by up to 90%.
“Changing to HVO is another example of our commitment to operating sustainably, which already includes route planning to minimise mileage and driver training to ensure that vehicles are driven in a careful manner to help optimise fuel efficiency.”
Neil Luce, Operations Manager added:
“This move isn't just about Waste Solutions. We're enabling businesses to reduce their end-to-end environmental impact, not just within their own operations, but as part of their sustainability commitments applied to their supply chain.”
and beyond!
Upwood Quarry was the setting for some out of this world testing earlier this summer. Global technology business GMV and the European Space Agency were in attendance to put a Lunar Rover through its paces over a variety of quarry terrains.
Steven Kay, Technical Lead UK Robotics at GMV commented: “We were delighted to have access to Upwood Quarry for the testing of our FASTNAV project. The goal of FASTNAV is to enable Lunar Rover traverse speeds, greater than one metre per second, across challenging planetary terrains –and Upwood enabled us to test a number of scenarios.”
To promote the move to HVO, the latest Refuse Collection Vehicles (RCVs) to join the Bristol fleet have been wrapped in eyecatching new graphics.
The striking new design (shown on facing page) features some iconic landmarks from the local area including: the Clifton Suspension Bridge, the colourful terraces of Cliftonwood and the arches of Pulteney Bridge in Bath.
Other depots in Wiltshire haven’t been left out when it comes to shiny new trucks and graphics. Teams At Lower Compton, Purton and Amesbury have welcomed newly liveried Mercedes Econic RCVs, emblazoned with the message “We’re recycling more and more for businesses in Wiltshire.”
Olly Thompson, Production Manager for Quarry Products added: “It is fantastic to think that testing in our quarry might lead to exploration advances on another planet. We are always excited to be involved in projects like these and welcome the opportunity to work alongside pioneers in other industries.”
Quarry Products’ Cerney Wick site north of Swindon, which inspired the BBC1 documentary ‘Attenborough and the Mammoth Graveyard’, has once again yielded a wealth of palaeontological wonders.
The Mammoth 2.1 dig led by Quarry Products’ Transport Administrator, Sally Hollingworth and her husband Dr Neville Hollingworth, ran from July through to the start of August and resulted in some amazing discoveries:
• Three palaeolithic hand axes
• Ice age finds including: mammoth tusks, teeth, rib, pelvic bones, skull fragments, vertebrae, tibia, femur, humerus and toe bones – fragments of bones from steppe horse and rhino, plus a bison skull with horn cores
• Jurassic finds including: a marine crocodile skull, plesiosaur tooth, a fin spine from a hybodus shark dorsal fin, plus ammonites and a rare nautilus.
Scan
The Mammoth 2.1 dig attracted a huge amount of interest from the academic and scientific communities, which was reflected in the 168 volunteers who helped outrepresenting 20 universities and six museums from across the UK. The dig even attracted a visit from Earl Spencer, the late Princess Diana’s brother.
Project lead Sally Hollingworth commented: “It has been fantastic to return to the site which has previously yielded remains of at least five ice age mammoths. From day one of this dig we made some amazing discoveries – and that continued until the close. We’ve been overwhelmed with the enthusiasm and hard work the small army of unpaid volunteers has shown, plus the exceptional support from Hills Quarry Products, who have facilitated and supported this and the two previous digs.”
Mike Hill, Chief Executive pictured at the Cerney Wick conservation tent, taking a closer look at two ice age bison horns, commented:
“The third dig at our Cerney Wick Quarry has once again yielded some fascinating discoveries, which provides an amazing insight into the life during the jurassic and ice ages. Quarry Products again provided substantial resources to ensure that the area remained accessible during the various phases of excavation, which enabled so many students from across the UK to make the most of this unique opportunity.”
The Mammoth 2.1 dig at Cerney Wick quarry once again attracted a lot of media attention, including: prime time news features on BBC Points West and ITV West Country.
There was also a live broadcast from the dig by BBC Radio Wiltshire; numerous mentions in quarry trade media like AggNet and Hub4; local news media including the Swindon Advertiser and the Wiltshire Gazette & Herald, plus an unmissable splash on the cover of the Daily Express. This resulted in fantastic coverage for the Company and a well earned 15 minutes of fame for Sally Hollingworth and her small army of volunteers.
The #TuskForce hashtag was created so students and members of the palaeontological community could share their finds and experiences from Mammoth 2.1 in all of their personal social media content.
Scan the QR code to view BBC Points West Mammoth 2.1 feature
As a result, Hills Quarry Products’ social media accounts saw over 42,000 impressions during the dig and an increase in engagement of between 300-400% across all social media platforms.
With 220+ individual uses of the #TuskForce hashtag across social media channels during the dig, it helped generate a great amount of brand awareness for Hills Quarry Products.
Homes’ recent move to Unit 15 at County Park has come with the addition of a dedicated showroom area, where buyers can pick out finishes for their new homes. Linda Cahill, Sales Support Manager, said: “Having a purpose-built space to show off our selection of wooden flooring, tiles and carpets, gives buyers a great choice and a more personal service.”
Michelle Atkinson has joined the Homes team to coordinate planning and technical submissions amongst other matters. Michelle brings the right level of experience and will be a great fit with the existing team ahead of a busy period, with several new sites starting in the new year.
Following the completion of sales of all new-builds at Spring Close in West Hanney, the existing farmhouse on the site has been undergoing some dramatic refurbishment. Mark Tinson, Divisional Director – Operations, said: “It has been an interesting project to work on with several challenges associated with older buildings including monitoring for bats. We are close to completing the renovation with the luxury kitchen being installed soon.”
Homes’ biggest development to date is now reaching its conclusion. The last few plots are available for purchase along with the show homes, including the stunning Barbury which is ready to move in to, with furniture included. The site office has now been removed and final sales are being handled by Atwell Martin in Calne.
Nick King, Group Director, said: “Our next big development will be at Wroughton which will include a community cricket pitch and pavilion. A number of smaller sites are at planning stage in Calne; Fairford and Midsomer Norton. We are hoping to conclude some finer details at Sutton Benger, where we have broken ground.”
On Wednesday 10 July, the 41st Hills Wiltshire Professionals’ Golf Championship took place at Marlborough Golf Club. This annual tradition saw Hills’ staff and their guests playing alongside Wiltshire's professional golfers competing for the prestigious Championship Cup.
After a great day of golf, Ben Amor from Ogbourne Downs Golf Club won the professionals’ tournament for the second year in a row. Ben shot a superb eight under for the two rounds, 12 shots ahead of his nearest rival! In the amateurs’ group the winners were Karl Little and Newman Floyd. Ryan Marsden won the longest drive at the 13th hole and Mark Tinson, Divisional Director – Operations for Hills Homes won nearest to the hole on the 2nd hole with a distance of 1.97m.
Well done to all who competed!
Shareholder Charlie Hill shares the highlights of his recent trip to England from his home in New South Wales, Australia.
This two week trip, to travel the length of England with my mother Patricia, wife of the late Edward Hill, sister in law to the late Robert Hill, aunt to The Hills Group Chief Executive, Mike Hill and one of the few remaining ‘Hill family, third generation members’, was long in the planning, yet short in its execution!
With destinations including Newbury in Berkshire (catching up with my middle sister Emma and husband Jonathan); Wiltshire, Cornwall, Derbyshire and Northumbria (where we caught up with my elder sister Sarah and all her family, Alan, Jennifer, Adam, Noah, Esme, Adrian and Jesspictured middle).
Congratulations to the winners of the crossword competition in issue 54. Leon, Dimitar and Gavin successfully completed the crossword. They were then randomly picked from all the entries and each received a £50 Amazon voucher. Not bad for a couple minutes work!
There were also a few side visits for yours truly to Hills’ Swindon office (catching up with cousin Mike Hill - pictured top left), Bath, the Diddly Squat Farm shop and The Farmer’s Dog pub, (both forming part of the Jeremy Clarkson experience). One of my fondest memories of this trip will be spending quality time with my mum, reminiscing on great family times over the years. So many laughs! As the photos clearly show, a wonderful time was had by all!
For Wiltshire residents who are unable to put their waste and recycling wheelie bins out ready for kerbside collection, due to illness, physical inability or infirmity –Municipal Collections’ crews are there to lend a helping hand.
Over 4,200 assisted collections are completed every two weeks across Wiltshire – so to find out a little more about this invaluable service, Luke Court, Social Media and Communications Executive spent a day with one of the crews. Luke’s day out highlighted the value Municipal Collections brings to the community, and proved that service with a smile truly makes a difference.
Luke joined loaders Kevin Tiley and Barry Clifford, and driver Gordon Mariott on a typical collection round in Latton, which also included a number of assisted collections.
Throughout the day, Luke witnessed how the team had built relationships with residents, including a friendly encounter, where a resident and her dog eagerly greeted the crew like old friends. The team took the time to chat with her and even offered a treat to her canine companion!
Reflecting on his experience, Luke described the interactions between the Municipal Collections team and the community as "refreshing" and "really lovely to see.” “It was an enjoyable day with the team, and it was
“For some people, our visits brighten their day. We always stop to say hello.”
-
Gordon Mariott
heartwarming to see them supporting the community and receiving kindness and gratitude in return. I am grateful to Gordon, Barry and Kevin for kindly giving me a glimpse into a typical day.”
“We just like giving people a helping hand.”
- Barry Clifford
Nicola Towell, Contract Manager added:
“It’s heartening that Luke witnessed what we already know within Municipal Collections – that our collection teams do an amazing job for residents who need extra assistance. What’s more, they do this with a smile and pride in their work.”
“It's nice working outside and assisting the people we meet.”
- Kevin Tiley
A Municipal Collections crew who were on a round near Devizes, had to react quickly when they realised there was a fire in the rear of their Refuse Collection Vehicle (RCV).
The fire was caused by the battery from a Dyson vacuum which had been recklessly left in a general waste wheelie bin.
As Nicola Towell, Collection Contract Manager - Waste explains: “I am very proud of the crew, who acted quickly and efficiently to extinguish the fire in their vehicle. The speed of their response averted the possibility of injury or damage to property. It could so easily have been a different story, and serves as a reminder for Wiltshire residents to recycle electrical items in the correct containers at Household Recycling Centres, and smaller batteries in clear plastic bags on top of kerbside blue-lidded wheelie bins.”
Heidi HattonPocklington, Waste Support Officer with Municipal Collections is celebrating the amazing milestone of 40 years’ service.
Heidi started her career with Wiltshire Council as a typist in 1984, before becoming a Waste Support Officer, then moving over to Hills Municipal Collections as part of the TUPE process in 2017. Nicola Towell, Collection Contract Manager commented: “Heidi is such a popular and hardworking member of the team. Achieving 40 years of service is just amazing. We’re lucky to have her.”
Heidi added: “I enjoy the different elements of my job. I’m always busy which I love, and the team I work with in the office and the crews are a great bunch.”
The Hills Group actively supports a wide variety of local charities, clubs and groups with direct funding – and this summer was no exception. From a D-Day memorial, to Calne’s first Pride event and a super-size youth football tournament… read about some of the many causes the company has supported this summer below:
June 6th marked the 80th anniversary of D-Day where allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy. The old RAF Down Ampney airfield is where service personnel embarked on their journey to Normandy, later parachuting into the D-Day Landings.
To honour these soldiers’ bravery, Hills donated £1000 and waste management for the D-Day 80 Down Ampney event. A number of Hills’ employees attended the event, some of which were former armed forces personnel – so Hills’ involvement was particularly poignant for those colleagues.
Calne Pride
Waste Solutions supported Calne’s inaugural Pride event in June with the provision of waste management. Calne Pride involved a parade through the town, followed by an eclectic mix of entertainment at the Calne Recreation Ground until 9pm.
Ed Dodd, Deputy Chief Executive at The Hills Group commented:
“We were delighted to sponsor Calne Pride, not only as a number of our employees live in the town –but as a business we are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion in all our operations. It looks like everyone taking part had a wonderful time.”
The Hills Group continued its support for community projects in Westbury as sponsors of the Westbury Youth Football Club tournament - providing skips and bins for recycling and waste management, to ensure that the three-day event was as sustainable and green as the grass the 1,300 young footballers played on.
As you can see from the photo, a Hills banner was on display at the tournament promoting Hills partnership with Wiltshire Football Association’s ‘Good Game’ initiative – which signposts clubs to ideas they can adopt to be greener and more sustainable.
The vibrant Melksham Carnival took place in July and Hills Municipal Collections’ youngest superfan Tommy took to the streets of Melksham, alongside his dad, Kerbside Supervisor Matthew Trowell, for the ever-popular carnival procession. Nicola Towell, Contract Manager commented: “Melksham Carnival is a fabulous family event in the heart of the town, which brings the community together. We were so proud to have a beaming Tommy, and our Municipal Collections’ team members in the vehicle representing us at this event.”
Over 1,800 pupils, teaching staff and helpers took part in Englefield Estate’s Schools Days this summer. Hills Waste Solutions team members, Amanda Gale - Bids Manager, Tracy McCaskie - Customer Support Manager, Karen Spearing - Customer Support Advisor and Tula WelshKey Account Manager were on site to run a number of fun activities for the children. The aim was to educate and empower young people to think consciously about how they recycle and the importance of separating waste such as food, cardboard, and plastics. Amanda Gale said: “We were delighted to be able to support and attend such an event that will inspire future generations.”
Following extensive research and testing, the development of Learning For All started with operational teams in 2023. The new eLearning platform has since been rolled out successfully to Hills’ IT users in June of this year.
Learning For All also provides managers across all divisions with a platform to deliver and record every employee’s training record in a central database.
Kerry Chandler, HRIS and Payroll Lead, has been involved with the development of the project since the start, working with IT to navigate technical issues, and the Communications team to brand and communicate the launch.
“Learning For All is a great improvement to how we manage training in the business. We look forward to working with the HR and Compliance teams to develop new training and enhance how we deliver it to operational staff.”
Henry Newbery - Recycling Manager, Hills Waste Solutions
“Learning for All enables us to reduce the amount of paperwork and keep track of our team’s training needs and requirements.”
Cameron Crawford-Purcell - Assistant Quarry Manager, Hills Quarry Products
Alongside Kerry, Emoke Stapleford, Talent and Development Lead has been involved in delivering content and management training to managers and directors. Emoke continues to provide training on system usage and delivery to non-IT users.
“Learning For All has given me greater visibility regarding my teams’ learning and training. The platform is easy to use and has allowed us to roll out necessary courses and policy requirements.”
Mark Tinson - Divisional Director Operations, Hills Homes
“Before Learning For All topics such as cyber security and modern slavery were not something I had knowledge on. Now, I feel I am much more prepared to do my bit in looking out for these issues.”
Luke Court - Social Media and Communications Executive, The Hills Group
Pamela Hunt, Head of HR, said “Engagement across the business since the launch in June has been positive with lots of activity and completed learning. The comprehensive selection of learning modules will both reinforce an understanding of company policies and widen employees’ understanding of wellbeing issues, which will evolve over time and complement established operational training.”
“I would like to thank everyone across the business who has played their part in getting Learning For All off the ground. It really has been a team effort, and we are working on some exciting new course content and applications for the platform.”
The Hills Group is committed to protecting the health and safety employees – and in addition, the Wellbeing Commitment (available on eTouch) sets out the measures the company has in place to support the mental and physical wellbeing of its employees – and covers areas including mental wellbeing, menopause and neurodiversity.
In line with the Wellbeing Commitment, a Bupa Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is available for all employees to use. Around one in four people in England are affected by mental health issues* and Bupa’s EAP gives employees access to six telephone and six face to face counselling sessions, to discuss whatever is on your mind – whether it’s stress, bereavement, financial worries, anxiety and depression or family issues.
Congratulations to Sophie Cable, Human Resources Information System and Payroll Coordinator, who has completed six months of online study to achieve a Payroll Technician Certificate – as awarded by the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals.
Pamela Hunt, Head of HR said: “I’m really pleased for Sophie, who has worked so hard. The Payroll Technician Certificate is a respected industry qualification and shows our commitment to invest in training to ensure we remain compliant with the increasing amount of regulations and legislation which impacts on the day to day running of the payroll function.”
If you or a colleague has achieved a work-related qualification, and you would like to shout about it, let us know via email: comms@hills-group.co.uk
For a confidential chat: 0800 269 616
Useful self-help tools: bupa.co.uk/eaponline
Joan Needhamfondly remembered
We are sad to report that former Hills employee Joan Needham has passed away aged 94.
Colleagues who previously worked at the Ailesbury Court office in Marlborough, will remember Joan’s warm smile and her interest in horse racing – frequently taking tips from Robert Hill, but with limited success!
Joan joined the business as a Cashier in 1971 working until she was 65, five years beyond the retirement age at the time of 60.
As Karen Pithouse, Accounts Office Supervisor reflects: “Joan was such a lovely lady and a very dedicated worker. She didn’t have much of a head for heights and the glass atrium in the entrances to the various floors at Ailesbury Court caused some concern and we had to on numerous occasions walk with her past the windows so she couldn’t see out!”
Spot the 10 differences to be in with a chance of winning one of three £50 Amazon gift cards.
As you will have read on pages eight and nine, it’s been another successful dig at Cerney Wick quarry. If you can spot the 10 differences in these images from the Mammoth 2.1 dig, you could be one of three lucky winners of a £50 Amazon gift voucher. Clearly circle the 10 differences in the bottom image, then cut off this back page and send it via the internal post to the communications and marketing department at County Park, Swindon.
Alternatively, you can scan and email your answers to comms@hills-group.co.uk. Your entry must be received by Friday 06 December.
Name:
Location: