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Colleague Newsletter – July 2019

Posted on July 15, 2019 by - Uncategorised

Westgrove expands into the South

Adrian Canale, Business Development Director Westgrove Group

To head up our continued expansion into the South, we have recruited a new Business Development Director.

Adrian Canale, who has worked extensively in facilities management across a range of sectors, has been appointed to support our continued business development and also bring the company into new sectors including education and healthcare.

Click here to find out more.

Westgrove a winner at the British Security Awards 2019

We are delighted to announce that the Westgrove Group won a prestigious award at this year’s British Security Awards.

Steve Allen, Dual Service Manager at Haymarket Shopping Centre, won the national award for ‘Service to the Customer’. He was presented with his award at the event held at the London Grosvenor Marriott Hotel.

Our BSIA regional winners included Paul Ogden, Market Place (Service to the Customer), Vijay Odedra, Haymarket Shopping Centre (Best use of Technology), Gavin Jones, Matthew Lamb and John Wallbank, Ropewalk Shopping Centre (Outstanding Act), Steven Travis, Arcades Shopping Centre (Outstanding Act) and Matthew Bray, Concourse Shopping Centre (Best Newcomer).

Mental Health Awareness Week

Steve Allen of The Westgrove Group receives his BSIA award

Mental Health is something that Westgrove believes strongly in, which is why we were delighted with the success of our recent Awareness Week.

During the week, we sent out daily advice and information to our colleagues to help build awareness of mental health and offer advice.

Over 50% of colleagues trained via our online eLearning course during the week and we received some great feedback. 

Look out for more Mental Health Awareness Days, fundraising activities and do ask about our eLearning course.

Did you know?

We are proud to have been accredited as a Living Wage Recognised Service Provider. This means we work with our Partners to recommend that they pay the Real Living Wage of £9 per hour (£10.55 in London), rather than the National Living Wage of £8.21.

New Colleague Engagement Survey

Hearing from our colleagues is extremely important to us. This year, we are asking what you think on a quarterly basis.

Look out for the link coming soon to our third Colleague Engagement Survey. This new survey focuses on Health & Safety.

The results of our first two surveys will be appearing in the new issue of the Westgrove Magazine, out soon.

Reward and Recognition Awards – Quarter 2 Winners

Here are all our R&R Award winners for Quarter 2. Congratulations to you all.

Site Manager of the Quarter
Stewart Todd – Security Manager – Birchwood Park

CSR of the Quarter
Joanne O’Neill – Business Manager

Team of the Quarter
Birchwood Park Security Team

Colleague of the Quarter
Martin Davison – Cleaning Operative – Gloucester Quays

Service Excellence of the Quarter
Waqas Maroof – Service Manager – TATA Technologies
Jack Beeney – Guest Service Ambassador – The Galleries Shopping Centre
Carpark Team – Grosvenor Shopping Centre
Istvan Szobollodi & Andrew Gregory – The Galleries Shopping Centre
Gillian Hurst – Cleaning Operative – Liverpool Air Traffic Control
Ajay Shah – MSO Supervisor – MSO Team
Lion Yard Cleaning Team – Lion Yard Shopping Centre
Stan Sinclair – Business Manager

Outstanding Act: May 2019
Lauren Gilhooley – Security Officer, St Johns Shopping Centre
Simon O’Neill and Keith O’Neill – Cleaning Operatives, The Lowry Outlet
Rajdeep Sidhu & Zdenek Lanik – Security Officers, Skydome Leisure World

Westgrove a winner at the British Security Awards 2019

Posted on July 15, 2019 by - Uncategorised

The Westgrove Group has scooped a prestigious national industry award for its outstanding security personnel work.

Steve Allen, Dual Service Manager at Haymarket Shopping Centre, won the national award for ‘Service to the Customer’ at the British Security Awards, held in London.

Organised by the British Security Industry Association (BSIA), the awards showcase the national finals of the security personnel categories and highlight outstanding personnel within the industry who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in their everyday work.

Mike Reddington, Chief Executive of the BSIA, said: “The British Security Awards is a major celebration in the security industry calendar that recognises the talent and commitment of our industry’s finest.

“We have an industry fit to burst with positive ambassadors from within our sector: from young officers starting out to seasoned professionals – every one of them recognised today for having gone above and beyond expectation, demonstrating courage, innovation, customer service and contribution to the industry.”

Westgrove Group Managing Director Claire McKinley Smith said: “Steve is a superb manager and it’s fantastic to see him recognised in this way.

“This is a huge achievement and shows the value in both putting our amazing colleagues forward for prestigious industry awards and showing how our people go the extra mile for the company and our Partners.”

Westgrove also had a number of regional winners in this year’s BSIA awards including Market Place, Ropewalk and Concourse Shopping Centres.

Steve Allen of The Westgrove Group receives his British Security Award

Mental Health Awareness Week

Posted on May 13, 2019 by - Uncategorised

Mind Over Mountains, Alex Staniforth

We’re raising awareness of mental health all week to support the Mental Health Foundation. You or someone you know may at some point in their life be affected by mental health issues and need support. 

We are sending out advice and information each day starting with a special video from our Brand Ambassador Alex Staniforth, himself a champion for mental health awareness.

Westgrove Group’s outstanding security work recognised in prestigious awards

Posted on May 8, 2019 by - Uncategorised

The Westgrove Group has scooped a number of prestigious industry awards for its outstanding security personnel work.

Six colleagues won regional awards in this year’s British Security Industry Association (BSIA) awards. There was further success in the ACS Pacesetters Security Officer of Distinction awards where the company scooped one of only 13 UK awards.

The BSIA award winners were recognised by the trade body representing the UK’s private security industry, in four categories – all celebrating their great work. Winners of the regional awards are put forward to the BSIA’s panel of national judges.

The BSIA holds awards both regionally and nationally to celebrate some of the outstanding personnel within the industry who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in their everyday work.

The ACS awarded Steve Brooks one of only 13 Security Officer of Distinction Awards in relation in response to his contribution at Templars Square Shopping Centre in Oxford. Steve was praised after he bravely calmed a woman who was threatening to jump from the roof then went to put out a fire started by two homeless men.

Approved Contract Scheme Pacesetters membership is made up of Contract Security Guarding Companies who are in the top 15% benchmarking and achievement levels set by the Security Industry Authority Approved Contractor Scheme.

Steve will receive his award at an event at Royal Windsor Racecourse in Berkshire on May 22.

Mike Reddington, Chief Executive of the BSIA said: “It is vital as the voice of the professional security industry that we recognise the great lengths security personnel go to in keeping the public and property safe.

“More often than not, these security professionals are first on the scene when incidents and emergencies occur and they demonstrate true quality and professionalism in their actions. This year’s regional winners are no exception and have shown remarkable achievements throughout the past year.”

Westgrove Group Managing Director Claire McKinley Smith said: “As always, we are very proud of our security officers for their dedication, loyalty, team work, customer service, use of technology and their bravery.

“It is a remarkable achievement and a testament to how our people go the extra mile for the company and our Partners.”

www.westgrove.co.uk

The Westgrove BSIA regional winners are:

Service to the Customer: Steve Allen, Haymarket Shopping Centre, Leicester

Dual Service Manager Steven was instrumental in achieving the Westgrove Aspire Six-Star award for the Centre and gained ROSPA’s silver award for the second year running. He was part of the Green Initiative for his work to help reduce the Centre’s environmental impact, slashing power consumption by 35% and introducing the Lotus Pro chemical free cleaning system which has cut the team’s chemical use by 95%. Steve, 57, won praise for his ‘consistently high performance and improvement in staff morale which gives great value to the client and demonstrable results’.

Service to the Customer: Paul Ogden, Market Place, Bolton

As part of the service to Market Place shoppers the centre was keen to ensure that they identified a mental health first aider, something which is being called for by many companies in the UK to be mandatory as part of the ‘Time to Change’ campaign. Paul Ogden is Westgrove’s first site based Mental Health First-Aider. Paul is now available to offer support and advice to vulnerable customers visiting the centre as well as to the centre’s tenants. Paul, 49, was praised for his outstanding customer service, his positive outlook and his extreme reliability.

Best use of Technology: Vijay Odedra, Haymarket Shopping Centre, Leicester

On top of his job as a security officer, Vijay, 27, used his initiative to introduce a comprehensive Health and Safety online log which is now an essential part of monthly Health & Safety meetings. It helps to track maintenance issues which may have otherwise been overlooked and caused a danger to public and staff. Vijay received an internal accolade from the shopping centre for his work as well as a Quarterly Service Excellence award from the Westgrove Group.

Outstanding Act: Gavin Jones, 50, Matthew Lamb, 48, and John Wallbank, 47, Ropewalk Shopping Centre, Nuneaton

The team, who have each worked in the industry for over 14 years, worked together to prevent an intoxicated man with a drink driving conviction from driving too far after leaving the car park. Their quick thinking and instinctive skills were praised by the police for ensuring that the public were not put in danger due to the actions of the driver.

Outstanding Act: Steven Travis, Arcades Shopping Centre, Ashton-under-Lyne

Steve, 56, bravely dealt with a gang of teenagers running amok in the shopping centre throwing bottles and armed with a knife. He kept a clear head, radioed for help, calmed the situation down and removed the youths from the premises.

Best Newcomer: Matthew Bray, Concourse Shopping Centre, Skelmersdale

Security Officer Matthew, 30, won praise for his ‘infectious personality and drive to help others’ after just four months in the job. He was recognised for helping an elderly man who was unsteady on his feet to do his shopping and also for quickly resolving an issue with a children’s vending machine for a customer.

Westgrove’s mental health first-aider wins award

Posted on April 5, 2019 by - Uncategorised

Paul Ogden, The Westgrove Group’s first site based Mental Health First-Aider, has won a prestigious industry award.

Paul, who is a mental health champion at Market Place Shopping Centre in Bolton, has won a Revo ACE Award.

The awards programme showcases people and places that achieve excellence customer service.

Paul was presented with his award at an event at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole last night.

Also shortlisted for an award was Handforth Dean Retail Park and St Johns Shopping Centre in Liverpool, both of which Westgrove provides services for.

Westgrove has been working with one of its key partners, Market Place, to champion awareness of mental health.

As part of the service to shoppers the centre was keen to ensure that they identified a mental health first aider, something which is being called for by many companies in the UK to be mandatory as part of the ‘Time to Change’ campaign

Following a very successful mental health awareness week in 2018, Changing Minds, the centre and Westgrove worked together to train over 80 staff in mental health awareness.

Following the training, Paul Ogden, one of the centre’s Guest Service Ambassadors, took on the role as mental health champion.

Paul is now available to offer support and advice to vulnerable customers visiting the centre as well as to the centre’s tenants.

As part of his training, Paul completed a mental health first aid course through St John Ambulance, the nation’s leading first aid charity, and a NCFE CACHE Level 2 certificate qualification in Mental Health Awareness.

Claire McKinley Smith, Managing Director of The Westgrove Group, said: “As a company, we take mental health extremely seriously so we are delighted that Paul has been recognised for all of his hard work to champion mental health in the workplace. We are so proud of him.

“He is equipped with all the skills required to help someone, be it a colleague or a member of the public suffering mental distress, which is all too common an occurrence today”

“Since starting in the new role, Paul has rolled out his training to the Westgrove team onsite and to the tenants within the centre.

“He has already identified a number of vulnerable customers and offered them advice and support. We will be looking to appoint mental health first aiders at many more centres across our UK portfolio during 2019.”

 

Two Westgrove Group cleaners feature in new Jamie Lawson video

Posted on March 20, 2019 by - Uncategorised

Two Westgrove Group cleaners have a cameo role in singer Jamie Lawson’s new video.

Pat Grogan and Bev Jones were filmed during the making of the video to go with Jamie’s new single, The Answer.

The singer, who is signed to Ed Sheeran’s record label, spent the day with Pat and Bev, as well as shoppers on Space Hoppers, at Market Place Shopping Centre in Bolton.

The Westgrove Group provides Market Place with cleaning and security services.

The production company, Sitcom Soldiers, who made the video suggested the Market Place as they knew it was a good light space that would look great on camera.

Jamie is best known for his 2015 hit single ‘Wasn’t expecting that’.

The video features Jamie bouncing around the shopping centre on colourful space hoppers with a number of people. It followed an appeal on Jamie’s social media for a wide range of ‘physically fit’ people to get in touch to be cast for the video.

Jamie said: “It was great to film at Market Place with its stunning architecture, ornate Victorian roof and basement vaults which provided a beautiful and interesting backdrop to our quirky space hopping video concept.

“We wanted to show how love gives you this happy, walking on air, bouncing feeling… so we came up with either trampolining or space hopping. My trampolining skills are not all that good, my space hopping skills on the other hand are second to none! So the idea was that I would bounce around a shopping mall spreading love and having couples join me as I go.

“The staff were amazing, all very kind and helpful, the cleaners were ace and did a great cameo in the video, helping to set the story up.

“The strangest thing was how most customers seemed to walk straight by without batting an eyelid whilst I bounced past them on a space hopper, as though a man on a space hopper in the middle of town is an everyday occurrence…which maybe it is in Bolton!”

Jamie’s new single is called ‘The Answer’, from his new album ‘The Years in Between’ and the accompanying video can be watched here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Da1vhbrWIA&feature=youtu.be

Colleague Newsletter – March 2019

Posted on March 13, 2019 by - Uncategorised

Annual awards

A huge congratulations to all our winners at this year’s Reward and Recognition Award Ceremony.
We gave out a record number of awards and were delighted to see the room packed with so many people.

We had some great speakers, including Karl Clawley, Centre Manager of Runcorn Shopping City. He explained how his team has transformed empty units into successful community led spaces including youth zones to tackle anti-social behaviour and a church service which attracts over 100 people on a Monday morning. We heard from Hayley Thomas, Fundraising Manager of Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, about how our fundraising efforts are making a difference to children in the hospital.

It was good to get the latest update from Alex Staniforth, our Brand Ambassador and Adventurer, who is working on his brand new book.

And there was barely a dry eye in the room after Paul Ogden talked about overcoming his mental health issues has led him to, today, being Westgrove’s first Mental Health First-Aider.

A big thank-you to everyone who took part in the day.

Launch of our Specialist Cleaning Division

View the full article here

Photo: From left Craig Robinson, Specialist Cleaning operative, Daina Parker, Specialist Cleaning Manager, and Lee Wilkinson, Specialist Cleaning Supervisor

 

 

Appointment of our first Mental Health First Aider

View the full article here

Photo: Paul Ogden Westgrove Group’s first Mental Health First-Aider

 

 

 

 

 

Our commitment to the Living Wage

View the full article here

 

 

Jamie Lawson visits Market Place to film new video

Singer Jamie Lawson has filmed his new music video at Market Place Shopping Centre in Bolton.

The singer, who is signed to Ed Sheeran’s record label, spent the day with shoppers on Space Hoppers.

The production company, Sitcom Soldiers, who made the video suggested the Market Place as they knew it was a good light space that would look great on camera.

People featuring in the video included Pat Grogan and Bev Jones, two cleaners from facilities management company The Westgrove Group. The company provides Market Place with cleaning and security services.

Jamie is best known for his 2015 hit single ‘Wasn’t expecting that’.

The video features Jamie bouncing around the shopping centre on colourful space hoppers with a number of people. It followed an appeal on Jamie’s social media for a wide range of ‘physically fit’ people to get in touch to be cast for the video.

Jamie said: “It was great to film at Market Place with its stunning architecture, ornate Victorian roof and basement vaults which provided a beautiful and interesting backdrop to our quirky space hopping video concept.

“We wanted to show how love gives you this happy, walking on air, bouncing feeling… so we came up with either trampolining or space hopping. My trampolining skills are not all that good, my space hopping skills on the other hand are second to none! So the idea was that I would bounce around a shopping mall spreading love and having couples join me as I go.

“The staff were amazing, all very kind and helpful, the cleaners were ace and did a great cameo in the video, helping to set the story up.

“The strangest thing was how most customers seemed to walk straight by without batting an eyelid whilst I bounced past them on a space hopper, as though a man on a space hopper in the middle of town is an everyday occurrence…which maybe it is in Bolton!”

Jamie’s new single is called ‘The Answer’, from his new album ‘The Years in Between’ and the accompanying video can be watched here:

Westgrove Group becomes Living Wage Service Provider

Posted on March 5, 2019 by - Uncategorised

The Westgrove Group has been accredited as a Living Wage Service Provider.


Westgrove, which employs over 1000 security, cleaning and customer service colleagues across the UK will recommend to its Partners that those colleagues are paid the higher wage rate of £9.00 per hour.


Living Wage Foundation Director Katherine Chapman, said: “We are delighted to recognise The Westgrove Group for their on-going commitment to the Living Wage as a Service Provider.”


Claire McKinley Smith, Managing Director of The Westgrove Group, said: “We are proud to have been accredited as a Living Wage Recognised Service Provider.


“We believe strongly in the importance of looking after all our people from apprentices through to members of staff who have been with us for more than 20 years.


“Although we do not set the wage rates ourselves, we will be working with our Partners to recommend that they pay the living wage rather than the minimum wage. Our customers and suppliers value the fact that we are committed to the training and development of our people along with our commitment to our comprehensive range of products and our passion for customer service.”


The Living Wage is an hourly rate set independently and updated annually. It is calculated according to the basic cost of living using the ‘Minimum Income Standard’ for the UK. The Living Wage enjoys cross party support, with public backing from the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. The principle behind the Living Wage is that work should bring dignity and should enable families to enjoy the essentials of life.


The Westgrove Group specialises in providing security, cleaning and security services in high footfall destinations from shopping centres, airports and corporate businesses to retail environments across the UK.


The Warrington based company, founded in 1998, has grown considerably in the past two years and is on target to turnover £40 million in the next five years.

Westgrove Group records another strong year of growth

Posted on March 5, 2019 by - Uncategorised

Facilities management specialist Westgrove Group has recorded another year of strong growth.
The Warrington based company saw turnover rise from £20 million to £25 million – and profits increased by almost 30% – in the 12 months to the end of December 2018. The colleague centric business also added a further 200 to its workforce.
It says it remains firmly on course to become a £40 million turnover business in the next five years and has exciting expansion plans forecast for the South UK later this year.
Westgrove provides its security, cleaning and PRM (Persons with Reduced Mobility) services to shopping centres, corporates, business parks and airports across the UK.
Recent successes have included the launch of a Specialist Cleaning Division and a move into aviation, providing cleaning and PRM services to two regional airports.
Westgrove were appointed by managing agents CBRE to provide the security for Birchwood Park in Warrington, the region’s leading out of town business location.
They also enjoyed a number of new contract wins in Bracknell, Bristol, Liverpool, Dagenham, Swansea and Leamington Spa.
The company, which recently celebrated its annual Reward and Recognition Awards at The Village Hotel in Warrington, was recently shortlisted in the Finance Awards North West and has just been accredited as a Living Wage Service Provider.
Westgrove, which celebrated its 20th birthday by climbing Ben Nevis for charity, has also appointed its first Mental Health First-Aider.
Claire McKinley Smith, Managing Director of The Westgrove Group, said: “We are always striving to improve the business and to grow through innovation, quality of service and by recruiting the best possible people.
“Remaining independent has been a massive strength. It gives a much greater personal feel to our business and we can offer a level of flexibility and transparency without compromising on service.”
Over 50% of Westgrove’s clients are based in the south of England. The company will be announcing exciting expansion plans for the southern region later in the year.

Westgrove Group appoints Mental Health First-Aider

Posted on February 15, 2019 by - Uncategorised

We have appointed our first site based Mental Health First-Aider.
We are working with one of our key partners, Market Place Shopping Centre in Bolton, to champion awareness of mental health.
As part of the service to shoppers, the Centre was keen to ensure that they identified a mental health first aider, something which is being called for by many companies in the UK to be mandatory as part of the ‘Time to Change’ campaign
Following a very successful mental health awareness week in 2018, Changing Minds, the Centre and Westgrove worked together to train over 80 staff in mental health awareness.
Following the training, a member of the team, Paul Ogden, one of the Centre’s Guest Service Ambassadors, took on the role as mental health champion.
Paul is now available to offer support and advice to vulnerable customers visiting the Centre as well as to the Centre’s tenants.
As part of his training, Paul completed a mental health first aid course through St John Ambulance, the nation’s leading first aid charity, and a NCFE CACHE Level 2 certificate qualification in Mental Health Awareness.
Nikki Wilson-Cook, Centre Manager of Market Place said: “With mental health in the workplace being such a burning issue nationally, we are proud to be setting an industry precedent with the introduction of our first Mental Health First Aider at Market Place.
“Paul Ogden is equipped with all the skills required to help someone, be it a colleague or a member of the public suffering mental distress, which is all too common an occurrence today.”
The Westgrove Group, based in Warrington, specialises in providing security, cleaning and security services in high footfall destinations from shopping centres and corporate businesses to retail environments.
Claire McKinley Smith, Managing Director of The Westgrove Group, said: “As a company, we take mental health extremely seriously so we are very proud to be one of the first facilities management companies in the UK to appoint a mental health first-aider.
“We are fully on board with the ‘Time to Change’ campaign, supported by many UK businesses, to take mental health more seriously in the work place as we believe that mental health needs to be given the same weight as physical first aid.
“Since starting in the new role, Paul has rolled out his training to the Westgrove team onsite and to the tenants within the Centre.
“He has already identified a number of vulnerable customers and offered them advice and support. We will be looking to appoint mental health first aiders at many more centres across our UK portfolio during 2019.”
The Westgrove Group was founded in 1998 by Group Chairmen Simon Whittle and Steve Fives. Based in Warrington, North West UK, it employs over 1,000 colleagues across the UK and has an annual turnover of £25M.

Paul Ogden, the Westgrove Group’s first Mental Health First-Aider