intouch magazine - issue 52 - April 2023

Front cover L to R: James Cook, Divisional Director, Quarry Products, Mike Hill, CEO, The Hills Group, Peter Andrew, Group Director, Quarry Products, Charles Sankey, Concrete Plant Manager and Matthew Rayson, Concrete Operations Assistant.

A note from the CEO

Tribute to Tony Hill

It is with great sadness that we have to report that Hills shareholder and main board director Tony Hill passed away shortly after Christmas following a very brave battle against cancer. This marked the end of an era as he was the last one remaining of the six third generation brothers and cousins who worked for the family company. Read a tribute to Tony on pages 4 and 5.

Back in Swindon!

There are many great stories in this issue of intouch but the cover story of our new concrete plant stands out as it represents our first operating site in Swindon since the 1980s!

Having overcome a number of challenges which delayed the opening of the site, it is already

exceeding expectations and will hopefully be an important cog in the wheel for many years to come.

The Coronation

Coronations don’t come around very often, so I would like to wish you all a very happy and memorable weekend for when King Charles III is crowned in May.

Mike Hill, Chief Executive

Hill

FA

The Hills Group Limited makes every effort to verify all information contained within intouch but does not warrant to its accuracy. No view or opinion expressed within intouch should be considered to be that of The Hills Group Limited, its associated companies or any director or officer in its employment. Please recycle your copy of intouch when you are finished with it.

Obituary – Tony Hill 1942-2022

Tony, born in Swindon 1942, was the third child of Harold and Ada Hill, and the younger brother to Victor and Blanche. He went to Bentham House Prep School near Purton and then on to Rendcomb College. It was at Rendcomb that he developed a lifelong passion for music, teaching himself the trombone, guitar and drums. He went on to play in a number of bands in the sixties and later in life could always be found at the local jazz festivals in Swindon or Marlborough.

Also while at school Tony became an avid collector, especially of stamps, coins, insects and fossils. The company-owned gravel pits were a great hunting ground for fossils and fostered his interest in geology and palaeontology.

After leaving Rendcomb, Tony joined the family business in 1960 and spent a couple of years at the Kingshill depot in the builders merchants business, before going to South Cerney to learn about aggregates and block making. He would often recall the harsh winter of 1962/3 and seeing cars using the lake as a skidpan!

Tony became a board director in 1968 and married Lyn in August 1969. Their daughter Julie arrived in 1972 whilst they were living in South Cerney, son Ian in 1976, after they had moved to their forever home in Broome Manor, Swindon.

In 1970, Hills bought one of Swindon’s first computers and Tony took the opportunity to join the team, training as a programmer and systems analyst. This department also supplied computer services to other companies.

Over the years Tony developed an interest in classic cars. In the late seventies and eighties he was also involved in several businesses restoring and selling these cars. To follow these other interests Tony resigned as a director in 1985, but later rejoined as a non-executive director in 1992.

Since then Tony continued his interests in collecting and music. He also became involved in Swindon Rotary and other cancer specific charities such as Breakthrough and Brighter Futures. Outdoor pastimes involved walking, swimming and gardening.

Following a touching ceremony at Kingsdown Crematorium, friends and family gathered at Blunsdon House Hotel to pay tribute to Tony and celebrate a life well-lived.

Swindon’s new concrete plant

Quarry Products’ further expansion

Quarry Products has strengthened its presence in the ready-mixed concrete market with the opening of its seventh concrete plant located at Kendrick Trading Estate, Galton Way, Swindon.

Peter Andrew, Group Director said: “The new site will greatly enhance the geographical area in which Quarry Products operates and also expand the level of service we can provide to our customers with a mini-mix service now available from all our concrete plants. In addition, Swindon will, alongside our existing plant in Newbury, be offering 24-hour, seven-day-a-week opening on request.

“We are also aiming to further grow the business with another, larger concrete plant being planned for installation and a summer opening at Wilmington. The Wilmington plant, near Honiton in Devon, will offer a wide range of delivery vehicles provided by one of our franchisees, Adrian Clarke.

“Quarry Products is constantly looking at ways in which the business can improve environmentally.

New plant installations are more efficient and have improved air filtering technology. We are keen to adopt carbon capture once product safety standards in the UK have been established and we will continue to explore the increased use of greener, cementitious materials such as GGBS.”

Carbon capture embeds CO2 within concrete permanently, providing businesses with carbon credits. GBBS is a cement-like by-product of blast furnaces which reduces the demand for raw materials in concrete manufacture.

The Swindon site is registered with the Quality Scheme for Ready-Mixed Concrete (QSRMC) and is able to provide high-quality concrete and screed to both small and large customers with product available for collection or delivery using 4m³, 6m³ and 8m³ sized vehicles.

Aspire event emphasises recycling

Waste Solutions was invited to participate in the recent KBR Aspire Zero Harm engagement week held across four MoD garrisons at Tidworth, Aldershot, Larkhill and Warminster. Simon Coombes, Service Manager, Charles Munro, Service Co-ordinator and Erik MacGilp, Operations Manager represented Waste Solutions and manned the exhibition stands.

The purpose of the events was to engage with military personnel alongside staff from other service providers to explain the importance of recycling across the contract and at home, and promote the achievement of zero waste to landfill. Around 2,000 people attended the events with 98% of attendees providing feedback to say it was beneficial. Erik MacGilp said: “We are committed to providing an excellent service and adding value back to the customer and this type of event provides us with a great opportunity to engage with them. Improving recycling rates has been key to achieving zero waste to landfill for core waste across the Aspire contract.”

Waste fleet addition

Waste Solutions’ new 16-tonne capacity food waste collection vehicle will offer customers a more efficient collection service, reducing the number of journeys and mileage previously needed by the 12-tonne vehicle.

Top: Charles Munro

Middle: Simon Coombes

Bottom: Erik MacGilp

IT Team delivers Cyber Essentials Plus

Hills’ IT Team has recently completed extensive work to pass the company’s recertification of Cyber Essentials Plus (CE+).

The in-house IT team and a number of contractors have worked hard with the Board to communicate the ongoing, essential changes to employees to meet the certification.

Stephen Clark, IT Project Delivery Manager, said: “This is a significant achievement given the scale of the project which included moving our existing mail server to a cloud-based system, the introduction of Multi Factor Authentication (MFA), and considerable hardware and software upgrades.

“As part of our continued commitment to cyber security

we will be implementing further changes throughout the year. All users of cloud-based services will be required to have MFA enabled ahead of next year’s CE+ re-certification and we will also be strengthening our password requirements.”

Cyber Essentials Plus is designed to prove organisations have a minimum level of protection in cyber security through independent annual assessments. This has become more relevant than ever given a global increase in security risks from hackers and ransomware; a problem that applies equally to individuals, small and medium-sized companies, large organisations and government departments.

“This is a significant achievement given the scale of the project which included moving our existing mail server to a cloud-based system...”

L to R: Stephen Clark, IT Project Delivery Manager; Adam Burge, Vysiion; Duncan Revell, Project Consultant

Inset: Karl Hooper, IT Project Coordinator

Move to Improve Winner 2022

After much anticipation, the Move to Improve 2022 winner has been revealed at a presentation in County Park.

Michael Jones, MRF Supervisor, Waste Solutions, scooped the £500 top prize after his innovative suggestion - an inexpensive road sweeping system that could be added to existing vehicles – was voted as the winning idea.

Michael was one of six finalists to be shortlisted for ‘Best Improvement to the Business’. Speaking about his idea Michael said, “Using an inexpensive telehandler’s bucket and brush system, instead of a traditional road sweeper, has meant we are able to collect litter on site and run it back through the processing plant.

“This has led to an increase in our production and revenue, as well as a reduction in the amount of plastic ending up in landfill sites.” The system, which has been used by Hills since April 2022, has proven to be an efficient and cost effective improvement at the Sands Farm waste facility in Calne.

service, productivity, and product quality.

Mike Hill, CEO said: “The Move to Improve scheme has been a great success and shows that our employees welcome the opportunity to engage with us and suggest improvements for our business. Since its inception the scheme has generated hundreds of ideas underpinned by Hills’ core values, many of which have been implemented by the company.”

Left to right: finalists Dave Smith, Waste Solutions, Michael Jones, Waste Solutions, Colin Langford, Waste Solutions, Tony Jackson, Waste Solutions with Mike Hill, CEO, Ed Dodd, Group Director, Waste Solutions and Peter Andrew, Group Director, Quarry Products collecting certificates for Keith Vincent and Anthony Booth.

Telehandler at Sands Farm with brush system installed.

Commemorative Coronation Pull-out

Meeting the future king...

In 1996, the late Robert Hill, then Chairman, and Alan Pardoe, then Chief Executive of The Hills Group, joined lifelong environmental champion, Prince Charles at the opening of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust’s new nature reserve at Clattinger Farm in north Wiltshire. What followed was a dramatic period of growth for the Trust, linked to the Heritage Lottery Fund and grants from Hills under the Landfill Communities Fund to create what is now known as Lower Moor Farm. The area includes 96 acres of additional reserves at Swillbrook Lakes, Clattinger Farm, Sandpool and Oaksey Moor Farm Meadow.

Alan Pardoe said: “Meeting Prince Charles was a great honour. At the time there was little public talk of climate change and the environment was very low down the political agenda. His support for and understanding of Hills’ and the Trust’s vision for creating living landscapes across Wiltshire for all to enjoy was both inspirational and valuable.”

How will you celebrate?

King Charles III’s Coronation will take place on Saturday 6 May and we would love to know how you will be marking the occasion over the bank holiday weekend. Perhaps you are planning a street party, going to a musical event or even intending to visit the palace itself. Send us your photos from the big day and they could be featured in one of our future publications!

If you have not finalised your plans yet and are still looking for inspiration on how to make the most of the event, here are a few highlights to look out for over the Coronation Weekend.

Saturday 6 May - Monday 8 May – Coronation Big Lunch

Big Lunches will be held across the country over the Coronation Weekend in association with the Eden Project and the Community Fund. The community based lunches will offer everyone the chance to become part of history by joining in the festivities with neighbours and friends. You can find out what is planned in your area by visiting the Big Lunch Map online: edenprojectcommunities.com/the-big-lunch#map

Sunday 7 May –Coronation Concert

On Sunday evening there will be a live concert held against the stunning backdrop of Windsor Castle in honour of the new Monarch. The regal spectacle will include performances from musical favourites, entertainers, performing artists and dancers, alongside a world-class orchestra. The event will be broadcast on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds.

Monday 8 May – The Big Help Out

Thousands of organisations across the UK are joining forces to encourage everybody to take part in ‘The Big Help Out’ that is being held to recognise His Majesty’s appointment. The initiative, which starts on Monday 8 May, will give everyone the chance to help out in their local communities.

If you are interested in joining in please go to: thebighelpout.org.uk

A range of useful templates and materials has been put together to help you with your Coronation celebrations, including homemade bunting ideas, recipe cards, playlists and kids’ activity sheets.

Visit coronation.gov.uk/toolkit/ for more ideas...

Two Coronation competitions!

This issue gives you the chance to impress us with your wordsearch skills and win a £50 Marks & Spencer voucher or one of two runners-up prizes of £25 Marks & Spencer vouchers. Children under 12 can also impress us with their creative colouring skills overleaf and be in with a chance of winning a first prize of a £30 book token or one of two runners-up prizes of £10 book tokens. Entrants can be your son, daughter, niece, nephew, grandchild or other child in your direct care. Complete the form below including your name and site location, then email your wordsearch and/or colouring entry to info@hills-group.co.uk or send this page via internal post to the Communications department at County Park, Swindon. Entries must be received no later than Friday 14 July 2023. One entry per employee for the wordsearch and one entry per child for the colouring competition allowed.

Name: Location:

Can you find the below words in the grid above?

Colour in The King’s Knight

Your name:

Your age (you must be under 12):

Relative who works at Hills:

Please ask your relative to return your colouring or a good photograph of it to the address on page 13.

Top marks in NEBOSH again...

Waste Solutions is once again celebrating passes in the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH) Award with flying colours.

The globally recognised qualification provides tools to practically assess and minimise site risks on a daily basis. Four members of the team have followed in the footsteps of fellow Waste Solutions MRF Supervisor, Craig Skett, in achieving the sought-after qualification. Sharon Bensi,

Compliance Coordinator, Dion Francis, Northacre Shift Supervisor and Eddie Schofield, Northacre Environment and Compliance Technician, all secured the top mark of 100%. Chris Wheeler, Northacre Shift Supervisor, and Richard Mortimer, Broker Account Manager, also scored a near perfect 98%.

Paul Scriven, Northacre Plant Manager said: “The results that three of our Northacre team achieved are typical of their motivation, their desire to achieve and confirm their positive attitude towards Health and Safety standards.”

mobilising new work.”

“The NEBOSH qualification will help me assess customer sites for health and safety hazards prior to

Richard Mortimer, Broker Account Manager

“Gaining this qualification has made me feel at ease and confident in my everyday role.”

Sharon Bensi, Compliance Coordinator, pictured with Paul Elling, Compliance Manager and Ed Dodd, Group Director

“The course broadened my knowledge by covering aspects which can be easily overlooked.”

Eddie Schofield, Northacre Environment and Compliance Technician

“This course will help everybody who attends it with their health and safety on site.”

Chris Wheeler, Northacre Shift Supervisor

“I will now be looking for possible improvements that can be made at the MBT plant.”

Dion Francis, Northacre Shift Supervisor

Building the dream team

Homes has built itself a strong reputation in the new homes sector, earning itself an impressive tally of industry awards.

Mark Tinson

Mark Tinson returned to Homes last summer as Divisional Director of Operations with a mission: for Homes to be recognised regionally as the best housing provider in their class.

Mark believes that the key to achieving this lies in retaining a highly skilled, wellpositioned team, focussed on this one united goal.

“We want all our customers to see our homes as their forever home. We want to ensure their experience is exceptional throughout all stages of the process, from initial build through to handover and beyond.” Mark Tinson

Nick King (pictured left with CEO Mike Hill).

Nick King, Group Director of Homes, has spent the last three decades turning Homes into a name that is synonymous with high quality construction and expert craftsmanship. He believes that Homes’ greatest strength is their talented and tight-knit team, which has undergone a considerable transformation over the last year. “We’ve made it our mission to invest heavily in our people to ensure we deliver the very best builds to our customers. We believe that this really sets Homes apart from its competitors.” Nick King

Phil Curtis

One of the newest promotions within the team is Phil Curtis, who has moved into the position of Materials Coordinator for the Homes department.

The role, which is based at Caen Hill, focuses on stock control of materials and end of project reallocation of resources to enable more cost effective and sustainable builds.

L to R: Anthony Shirley, Site Manager, Jan Pearce, Senior Site Manager, David Webber, Assistant Site Manager, Rob Jenney, Assistant Site Manager, Michael Kord, Site Manager, Darren Cawkwell, Quality Control Manager, Mark Tinson, Divisional Director.

Darren Cawkwell

As part of Homes’ focus on becoming the best regional housing provider, Darren Cawkwell, who has been with Homes for almost 10 years, has recently moved into the role of Quality Control Manager.

Darren’s role focusses on ensuring quality control is kept consistent across all sites. Whilst he has only been in the position for a relatively short period of time, Homes is already seeing great results with snagging down, tidier sites, and good feedback from customers and contractors alike.

Linda Cahill

Delivering exceptional customer satisfaction plays an important part in achieving Homes’ overall goal.

Linda Cahill, Sales Support Manager, has spent the last decade providing excellent customer satisfaction to every Hills homeowner. She guides customers from reservation through to key handover and ensures that buyers have everything they need when they move into their new home.

Kim Leadbeater

Working with Linda in the role of Customer Care Coordinator is Kim Leadbeater, who recently joined Homes from the IT department. Kim is an integral part of the team and her role sees her liaising with colleagues and contractors to ensure a first-class aftersales service is provided to every buyer.

Michael Kord

Michael Kord is one of the new faces to join the gifted line-up as Site Manager at The Paddocks, Blunsdon. Michael joined the team nine months ago and has already made quite a name for himself.

Michael moved from Miller Homes last summer to manage the new housing development on the edge of Swindon and has already impressed local building control. His problem-solving ability, excellent organisational skills and building expertise have earned him the award for ‘Best Residential Site Manager’ at the Swindon Local Building Excellence Awards 2023 (read more on page 18).

Homes scoops two regional awards

LABC Building Excellence Awards - Whitelands, Tetbury

Homes has scooped the ‘Best high volume new housing development’ regional award for the West of England in the LABC Building Excellence Awards 2022.

They were awarded the honour for the Hills’ Whitelands housing development in Tetbury, Gloucestershire, which consists of 39 traditionally built homes. The sought after development, which is situated in the desirable Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is inspired by its

Site Manager Award

Michael Kord, has scooped an award for Homes, winning ‘Best Residential Site Manager’ at the Swindon Building Control Local Awards 2023.

The Building Excellence awards are hosted each year by Swindon Borough Council’s Building Control Team in recognition of local builders and designers. Michael secured the coveted award, thanks to the critical thinking skills and building expertise he demonstrated at Hills’ Paddocks site in Blunsdon.

Collecting his award at a ceremony in Swindon, Michael said: “Having worked in site management for many years, it is an honour to be recognised for doing an excellent job. This award is also a testament to the high standards of workmanship and compliance

local surroundings and features seven distinctive styles of home, each constructed from a mixture of materials including natural Cotswold stone.

The LABC Building Excellence Awards, which are the UK’s largest business to business awards in the building control sector, recognise building excellence regionally and nationally, across England and Wales.

Nick King, Group Director Hills Homes, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have won this West of England award. Our team worked tirelessly to showcase the best of our abilities and this development is testament to their commitment and the quality of the build.”

involved by everyone who has worked on the development at Blunsdon.”

Michael will now go through to the LABC (Local Authority Building Control) Regional Building Excellence awards for the West of England region in the Spring.

A day in the life... Jacqui Hibbert

My job covers a wide range of areas within waste management so it’s always very interesting.”

When she’s not overseeing operations at Amesbury, she’s based at one of the Household Recycling Centres (HRC) at Lower Compton or Purton, helping Wiltshire residents to recycle effectively and manage their waste sustainably.

Jacqui said: “My role has made me really think about what is consumed and thrown away on a daily basis. You would be amazed at some of the items we receive, from bird cages to musical instruments. I get a lot of satisfaction talking to people at our HRCs and encouraging them to recycle correctly whenever possible, to help minimise the amount of waste sent to landfill.”

Jacqui Hibbert is a familiar face to many around the business having worked at Hills for more than 15 years.

She has come a long way since joining Waste in 2006, working her way up from Workshop Coordinator at Purton Transport to become the HRC and Transfer Station Manager overseeing three sites.

Spending a day with Jacqui in her role is certainly eye opening and diverse, encompassing both the commercial and the customer-facing sides of the business.

Jacqui can often be found at the Amesbury RMF site near Salisbury which receives bulky waste, general waste and recyclable material from across South Wiltshire for onward treatment. Jacqui said: “Every day is so different and varied, one day I’m at Amesbury, the next Purton or Honeyball.

“I’m passionate about reusing items and like to encourage everyone, where possible, to do the same.”

Adrian Knowles bids a fond farewell

After 25 years at Hills, Adrian Knowles, Finance Director for Quarry Products, has decided to bid farewell to the business to take retirement.

Adrian joined the company in April 1998 as Finance Director for Quarry and Waste, before becoming Finance Director for Quarry Products in 2018.

Adrian said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed the 25 years or so I have spent at Hills and have had the privilege to work alongside some marvellous people, which is so important to any organisation. The high number of long serving employees speaks volumes for the company. I have also had the good fortune be closely involved in the growth of the quarry

The Three Rosemary Hills

and waste businesses, which has proved hugely rewarding and at times quite challenging. I have many memories to fondly look back on. I wish Hills and its employees the very best for the future.”

We hope he has a long and happy retirement.

The Robert Hill Cup Winner

Rosie Hill was extremely pleased to present the Robert Hill Cup to ‘Junior of the Year’, Charlie O’Dowd, at Marlborough Golf Club recently.

Despite the sad circumstances, the memorial service for the life of Tony Hill in January reunited three old friends who had not seen each other together for many years. These three ladies had more than just friendship in common as they are (or were) all called Rosemary Hill!

On the left is Rosemary Murray (née Hill and affectionately known as Bud) who is the last remaining member of the third generation of the family. In the middle is Rosemary Hill (affectionately known as Wo) who was married to the late Alfred Hill. And, on the left is Rosemary (Rosie) Hill who was married to the late Robert Hill and is the mother of Group CEO Mike Hill. Bud, Wo and Rosie have all promised to meet up again as soon as possible.

Charlie, who is 12 years old, h year. As well as getting he has represented Wiltshire County at U12 and U14 level and remains unbeaten in singles matches.  He also won best nett score at the Erlstoke Junior Open and his best round of the year was 74 gross at Chippenham Golf Club.

The award was established in memory of Robert Hill and is a fitting tribute to his love of the game.

It was Robert’s wish that talented young players should be recognised and encouraged to build on their skills and confidence.

A very good game

Waste Solutions has partnered with Wiltshire Football Association on their latest campaign to raise awareness of climate change across the footballing community.

Wiltshire FA’s ‘The Good Game’ initiative, which encourages its members to make small changes to reduce environmental impact, launched their campaign with a tree planting event at Green Lane Playing Fields in Devizes.

Neil Pollard, Divisional Director Waste Solutions said: “Sustainability is very important to us; it is embedded in what we do. We see this campaign as a great opportunity to engage people with lots of ideas about how they can

Youth Theatre sponsorship

Hills has confirmed sponsorship for the 2023 Summer Youth Project at the Wyvern Theatre in Swindon.

Salisbury Cathedral School visit to MRF

Year 8 pupils from Salisbury Cathedral School learned more about the issues around waste management and recycling when they were guided around the Waste facility at Calne in February.

The tour took in the Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) at Sands Farm and the landfill at Lower Compton.

help the planet. There is a desperate need to address climate change, using a partnership approach and the influence and reach of football we can all make small changes to help the environmental challenges we face.”

The two-week project will provide around 200 young people with a creative opportunity to work in a professional theatre over the school summer holidays.

Oli Webb, Creative Learning Manager of Wyvern Theatre and Swindon Art Centre said: “We are incredibly grateful. SYP is also more than just performing. It gives young people the opportunity to try, get things wrong, support one another, build confidence, be safe in the summer, and build lifelong friends. Without local business support we would be unable to achieve this goal.”

Transformation at Langford Lakes

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust’s expansion at the Brockbank nature centre has meant it now includes private function rooms, a new art gallery space and a refurbished café, thanks in part to generous support from The Hills Group.

The upgraded facilities provide year-round viewing points of the surrounding wetlands and the abundance of wildlife living there. Set in the picturesque Wylye valley nine miles west of Salisbury, Langford Lakes is one of the UK’s best examples of long-term gravel workings that have successfully made the transition to become a stunning nature reserve. The Brockbank nature centre was officially reopened by Alan Pardoe and Mike Hill of The Hills Group, at a recent ceremony attended by Lord Talbot, Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Trustees and a small group of the Trust’s major stakeholders.

Alan Pardoe, Chairman of The Hills Group said: “Hills is extremely proud of its long-standing relationship with

Partnership Brochure

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust that goes back over 30 years. The Trust and Hills were the first to make use of funding from the Landfill Communities Fund and it is fantastic to see how much this reserve at Langford Lakes has developed over the years. The exemplar habitat that has been created is tremendous for wildlife and an asset for the local community who now have access to the site, but also for other Wiltshire residents.”

Gary Mantle MBE, CEO of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust said: “We are grateful to The Hills Group and other generous funders who have helped us transform Langford Lakes into a true flagship site for Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. The remarkable support from The Hills Group over the years has been key in helping us to achieve our vision of a sustainable future for wildlife and people.”

The latest edition of The Hills Group and Wiltshire Wildlife Trust partnership brochure has been published and is included with this edition.

Mike Hill, Chief Executive of The Hills Group, said: “Hills’ support of the Trust is driven by our commitment to give something back to the areas in which we operate. This unique partnership has ensured that communities throughout the county are able to enjoy beautiful open spaces and gain a better understanding of the natural world that surrounds them. ”

Neigh Bridge play area thrills families

Excited locals gathered to enjoy Cotswold Lakes Trust’s new play area, which was funded in part by The Hills Group, at Neigh Bridge Country Park in Somerford Keynes.

The children’s playground which is situated in the Cotswold Water Park is a welcome addition to the area. Cleverly designed with sustainability in mind, it incorporates recycled salvageable parts from previous playgrounds.

The new play area was proudly unveiled at a recent ribbon cutting ceremony attended by Peter Andrew, Group Director of Hills Quarry Products, Lisa Spivey,

Gloucestershire County Councillor and Mark Hastie-Oldland, Parish Councillor for Somerford Keynes.

Peter Andrew said: “Hills has been operating in the Cotswold Water Park area for over 100 years and created many of the lakes and wonderful habitats you see in this area today. We are proud to support Cotswold Lakes Trust in their projects to enhance biodiversity and community engagement.”

Paul Hazel, Executive Chairman of Cotswold Lakes Trust said: “We’re really proud to have been able to make this project happen. It’s a great new facility which was much needed.”

Jamie’s Saharan Trek

Hills shareholder Jamie Hill trekked across the Sahara Desert to raise much needed funds for Prospect Hospice this March.

Jamie’s epic adventure saw him scale Moroccan sand dunes and hike through the Atlas Mountains in aid of the local charity. Jamie said: “Prospect is a charity which is very close to my heart as the hospice cared for a friend dying of cancer back in 2021.”

If you would like to support Jamie’s journey you can donate via his JustGiving page: justgiving.com/fundraising/Jamie-Hill12

Tell us more about you...

Our people are what makes us great and they are at the heart of everything we do, which is why we want to feature more of your stories. If like Jacqui you would like to be included in an edition of intouch, please get in touch with us at the communications department – info@hills-group.co.uk

See your photo in the 2024 Hills calendar

We need employees’ photos to make Hills’ 2024 calendar extra special. Do you have any photographs of our region’s flora, fauna, landscapes or architecture?

It could be a breathtaking view, a sensational street scene or even a photogenic pet – the brief is broad. Look through your existing photos or get snapping before the print deadline of October 2023 and your photo could be gracing one of next year’s calendar pages. Photographs must be your own, not the intellectual property of another person or organisation and should be 500Kb or larger and landscape.

Please send photos to info@hills-group.co.uk

Did you spot the ball in the last issue?

Last issue’s spot the ball competition was a toughie with only two correct guesses of B4 Congratulations to Jason Payne Snr and Jason Payne Jnr, who won a £50 and £25 M&S voucher respectively. With three prizes up for grabs, we picked out Mark Buckley as a lucky draw winner from the remaining entries.

Get social… Hills is active on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube

We regularly update Hills’ social media channels with stories about the good work that we do as a business and in the community, so please connect with us to hear our news and share our content.

Jason Payne Snr Jason Payne Jnr Mark Buckley