TIMES
Live. Lifestyle. Experience.
The Lockdown Edition
IAN COLLIER - MANAGING DIRECTOR
After mentioning the initial spread of coronavirus in the first newsletter we now find ourselves hopefully over the worst, with lockdown restrictions gradually being eased It is amazing how much can happen in such a short space of time
Firstly, I would like to thank everyone for adapting so quickly to working from home and for their commitment in enabling the group businesses to continue as smoothly as possible. With the lockdown coming reasonably abruptly we all had to react quickly and I’d like to extend a special thanks to the IT department for ensuring everyone was ready to hit the ground running from home.
Despite the pandemic I am also happy to say that we have lots of things to celebrate company-wide and I would like to share some of these stories with you now.
I look forward to the time we can come together again and continue to build for the future.
1 Tingdene Times MAY 2020 ISSUE 2
HELPING THE COMMUNITY
TINGDENE LIFESTYLE
Free Accommodation For Key Workers
Opening their doors to NHS staff and key workers Tingdene Broadlands Park & Marina in Oulton Broad continues to offer FREE accommodation to all NHS staff and key workers who are required to work away from home and their families, or if they need to self-isolate.
Our thanks go to the staff at BHV for providing such a vital service to the frontline workers to keep them and their families safe. The significance of which can be clearly felt in this message of thanks.
A massive thank you to Tingdene for the offer of accommodation for our daughter, who is an A&E nurse at the JPH in Great Yarmouth.
We were in a very difficult predicament where my wife is a carer for both her elderly parents and our daughter was living with us whilst being on the front line in a hospital. The risk was causing both of them to worry and your generous offer has been a godsend.
We can't wait to meet Greg and other Tingdene staff after this has blown over to fully show our appreciation in person.
You are a credit to the area and word will spread about your actions, we look forward to supporting you with our custom.
MAY 2020
2 Tingdene Times
your generous offer has been a godsend
HELPING THE COMMUNITY
TINGDENE RESIDENTIAL PARKS
Good To Talk
After work Alison Shone from Tingdene Parks spends her evenings volunteering for Age UK, making calls to the elderly from 7pm to 8:30pm.
Alison says “It’s going really well and I feel like the small calls I make are making a massive difference.” Once a week, when collecting her Nan’s prescriptions Alison is also picking up medicines for other local people and delivering them to their doorstep.
TINGDENE RESIDENTIAL PARKS Bag It Up!
Teresa Dearle from Tingdene Parks has also been volunteering at Furniture Centre in Kettering. They have made and distributed 1000 uniform wash bags to NHS staff with the bags being made from material that would otherwise be sat on a shelf or have gone to waste. They are also helping to produce masks and scrubs for the NHS and local businesses.
It is the work of all the wonderful volunteers across the country that is enabling us to keep things running and assist those people who need it the most. Great work everyone!
If anyone else across the group has also been volunteering please send your details over to us at info@tingdene.net and we will include them in the next newsletter.
MAY 2020
3 Tingdene Times
It's
The
Normal TINGDENE GROUP
New
As everyone isolated at home and normal business practices changed, we have had to explore different ways of reaching our customers Across the businesses we have found new ways of connecting with people and have successfully managed to keep up momentum to continue to take reservations, secure deposits, and even finalise an agreement for the sale of a lodge on the Windsor Racecourse development worth in excess of 1/2million pounds. It’s amazing what people will buy from the comfort of their armchairs!
Here’s a few of the new activities that have helped us along the way.
TINGDENE LIFESTYLE
Stay Calm & Keep Caravaning
TINGDENE MARINAS AND BOAT SALES
Virtual Tours
Giving customers the chance to continue to purchase a boat Tingdene Boat Sales have been busy filming boats for customers to view online. Their YouTube channel now has over 80 videos, 450 subscribers and 50K views. Have a look and see if anything takes your fancy: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkzvvyZIc wdT9qkfOm3DPOw
Keep Chatting
After adding a webchat facility to both the Marina and Boat Sales sites as lockdown began, the chat as now become an integral part of customer service with enquiries continuing to come in every day.
As people look forward to coming out of lockdown and are considering how and where they are going to spend their holidays, Tingdene Lifestyle have been carrying out virtual sales tours with excellent results
TINGDENE RESIDENTIAL PARKS A Spot Of Music
With everyone sat at home surfing the web Tingdene Residential Parks took to Spotify to spread their park home living message and have seen over 1000 click throughs in a matter of weeks.
MAY 2020
4 Tingdene Times
ADAPTING TO LOCKDOWN
TINGDENE GROUP
Health and Well-being
We would like to remind everyone of the Employee Assistance Programme we offer with Health Assured.
Living the dream!
Anyone who feels they may benefit from external support with mental health, well-being, financial advice or other support are able to use the Employee Assistance Programme in confidence
Visit https://healthassuredeap co uk/ and login to access all their resources.
User name: T1ngdene
Password: t1ngdene
TINGDENE GROUP
Ways of working
Since the beginning of lockdown all members of staff have been asked to work from home where it is possible to do so. Those who cannot work from home due to the nature of their roles have either been able to continue working in their roles with PPE and social distancing in place, or have been placed on furlough leave at 100% of their salary.
Next steps: We will be providing additional announcements regarding Tingdene operations and on-site management as lockdown continues to ease. As ever we will be guided by the Government and our procedures will be in accordance with Government guidelines For any concerns or queries, please speak to your respective Line Manager
TINGDENE GROUP
DSE Assessment
Everyone who is home working should have received a DSE self-assessment covering areas such as workstation set-up, lighting and phone use for completion. If you did not receive a copy please let us know and we will ensure you do so.
All details have been logged and if anyone has any requests for additional equipment please contact HR. All requests are being dealt with by IT who will contact you individually to discuss your requirements.
MAY 2020
5 Tingdene Times
KEEPING IN TOUCH
Lockdown has made keeping in touch with
ever more important, especially as they sit at home not being able to use their caravan, holiday home and boat, or even interact with their neighbours We have all done our best to try and keep spirits high and ensure everything is ticking over until they are able to return to normal And whilst we do it as part of our job, it is always good to know that our work is appreciated
TINGDENE MARINAS AND BOAT SALES
Heart Felt Thanks
Dear All at Hartford,
We are isolated as people likely to keel over if we get the virus - but we appreciate your communication keeping us in touch. And you might like to pass on to Head Office our appreciation that someone on the Hartford staff had the wit to make one of the two photos heading your message a picture of our EMMA - at present only a happy memory! Did you do that for every one - or were we just lucky!
Anyway, you might like to tell your bosses at Tingdene that we are very pleased in general by the quality of service, even in such difficult times We hope they appreciate you
TINGDENE RESIDENTIAL PARKS
Time To Celebrate
Despite the restrictions of lockdown, the park managers and residents of Marina View Park in Lincolnshire and Ashwood Park in Cheshire made the best of the VE Day Celebrations with street parties at the parks.
From a group rendition of “We’ll Meet Again”, to dancing in the streets and wearing tin pot hats, they definitely made the most of the day – all whilst socially distancing of course!
MAY 2020
All good wishes, Professor David and Dr Christine Mangala Frost
6
Tingdene Times
our customers
