Category Archives: South West

News, Property, South West

First residents move in at new Churchdown development

The first residents have moved in at a new housing development taking shape on the outskirts of Churchdown.

Bellway and Ashberry Homes are building a total of 465 homes at Pirton Fields, on land off Cheltenham Road East to the north-west of the village.

The site, which features a range of two, three and four-bedroom homes for sale, is part of the wider Churchdown expansion which will deliver new homes and employment space along the A40 corridor between Cheltenham and Gloucester.

Bellway has now completed the first properties at their development, and handed over the keys to buyers.

Bellway’s part of the development will comprise 368 homes, including 131 affordable homes for rent or shared ownership. Ashberry Homes is to deliver the other 97 properties, of which 32 will be provided as affordable housing.

A total of £5.7 million in funding for local services will be provided by the two housebuilders through the planning agreement for the new homes, including £5 million for education.

Daniel Shone, Sales Manager for Bellway, said: “Pirton Fields is an exciting development which will create a brand-new neighbourhood in this attractive and convenient location between Cheltenham and Gloucester.

“We are building a wide range of homes to meet the needs of people at various stages of the property ladder. All properties will be from Bellway’s Artisan Collection, our flagship range of house designs which combine traditional craftsmanship with modern construction techniques.

“It’s been so nice to see our first buyers move into their new homes at Pirton Fields and we look forward to welcoming more residents to this growing community in the coming months.”

Carly Maidment, Sales Manager for Ashberry Homes, said: “As well as delivering much-needed new homes for people in this part of Gloucestershire, Pirton Fields will also bring millions of pounds of investment in local services, which is vital for the continued growth and prosperity of the area.

“The development is in an ideal location for commuters, situated within a 15-minute drive of both Cheltenham and Gloucester, and only five minutes away from Junction 11 of the M5.

“The semi-rural setting means Pirton Fields is proving particularly sought-after by families, who are also being attracted by the wide selection of schools within easy reach of the development.”

Bellway and Ashberry Homes both have two showhomes at Pirton Fields which are open for viewings by appointment.

Bellway currently has a selection of three and four-bedroom homes for sale, with prices starting from £279,995. A range of two, three and four-bedroom houses are available from Ashberry Homes, priced from £242,995.

Both Bellway and Ashberry Homes recently retained their five-star rating from the Home Builders Federation, which means that more than 90 per cent of customers would recommend the housebuilder to a friend or family member.

For more information, visit bellway.co.uk or ashberryhomes.co.uk.

Care, FInance, North of England, South West

Affinity Trust repays SASC’s social investment loan and expands work in children’s services

Affinity Trust, a charity that supports people with learning disabilities across the UK, has repaid its £150K social investment loan from Social and Sustainable Capital (SASC) early.

The loan enabled the charity to successfully move into delivering children’s services for the first time and become a leading provider of Positive Behavioural Support (PBS)[i] in England.

Affinity Trust took on the loan, its first social investment, in 2018 after winning a payment by results contract* with Bradford Council to provide support programmes for young people (aged 7-14 years) with learning disabilities and challenging behaviours who are at risk of entering residential care.

Using the loan, the charity recruited four key workers and a service lead. Four children in Bradford were initially supported by key workers who provided up to 30 hours of support each week at home, in school and in the community. This enabled them to better manage their behaviour, improve their quality of life and remain in their family homes rather than move into residential care.

The programme positively impacted their education attendance, with the children attending more regularly because of the support given by key workers to their teachers.

As a result of the project’s success, Affinity Trust now delivers PBS programmes in Coventry and Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Greater Manchester, Wakefield and Luton. The charity also delivered free PBS training to 250 healthcare professionals, social workers, parents, teachers, and other social care teams.

Affinity Trust received a PBS Excellence in Practice award from the British Institute for Learning Disabilities in 2019. In the same year, Matthew Hodder, the Bradford service lead wrote a research paper on their experience offering PBS support for The Tizard Centre, a leading UK academic centre working in autism, learning disability and community care[ii].

One of the first children supported by Affinity Trust’s PBS service in Bradford was seven-year-old J**. At the time of the referral, he was presenting high levels of distress at home, including property damage and frequent attacks on his mother, Gillian. “My son’s behaviour escalated. He was attacking me up to 15 times a day, pushing me down the stairs. It just gets to the point where you do really need support.”

Gillian commented, “My son has autism. He is a bright young boy but with very obsessive behaviour. He likes a rigid routine.”

After the charity started working with J, Gillian said J was no longer aggressive and noticed a real change in his behaviour. In January 2019, she said: “Me and my son, it’s like a different world now. I’ve not had aggressive, violent behaviour for probably seven months now.” Read more here.

Nicola Brittle, Development Director, Affinity Trust, said, “Our Bradford service was a huge success and enabled us to support eight children in total. We now have a high performing, award-winning delivery model that is being replicated in other areas. The loan from SASC provided funds up front that enabled us to set up and deliver the Bradford project. They supported us throughout and we were pleased the loan terms were flexible, so we could pay it off early.  The social investment model has worked well for us, and we are partnering with SASC again to undertake our PBS work in Gloucestershire.”

Ben Rick, Co-Founder and CEO of SASC said, “Affinity Trust’s use of social investment to deliver a payment by results contract demonstrates why this kind of finance can be invaluable for charities and social enterprises in this situation. With our loan, they have moved into children’s services and delivered work that has made a tremendous impact on the lives of children and families in Bradford. We are pleased they feel confident to take on a second loan to extend their work and support children and families in Gloucestershire.”

For more information on Affinity Trust visit: www.affinitytrust.org

*Affinity Trust receives payments that are linked to their level of success in keeping children out of expensive residential care placements. The SASC loan financed a portion of the costs associated with this contract prior to those payments being received.

The outcome payments for this service are funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, Bradford Council, and NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups for Bradford City, Bradford District, and Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven.

** Not his real name.

Charity & CSR, Construction, News, South West

Submit photo of the South West and help fundraise for air ambulance charities

The South West community is being invited to contribute photographs of the area to be included in a 2021 calendar which will be sold to raise funds for Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust and Devon Air Ambulance.

RGB Building Supplies is looking to find 12 photographs that celebrate the diverse scenery of the region and are asking people in the area to send in pictures of their favourite places. From Lundy Island and Exeter Cathedral, to Bodmin Moor and Porthleven Beach, any photo that showcases the area will be considered.

As well as seeing their photo in the calendar, the photographers of each of the chosen 12 images will receive a £100 voucher to spend at their local RGB branch.

Stephanie Bray, Corporate Fundraising Officer at Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust, commented:

“We are delighted that RGB is supporting the Cornwall Air Ambulance in this fun way. We encourage everyone to take part and submit their photos for this unique opportunity to feature in a special edition calendar. By supporting this project, people will be helping to keep the air ambulance flying and saving lives. Thank you!”

Tracy Owen, Fundraising Manager at Devon Air Ambulance, said:

“We are so grateful to our friends at RGB for choosing to support us in their latest fundraising venture! We think a calendar is a great idea – our helicopters fly across our beautiful county and its differing terrain daily and the amazing views from the air are often commented on by the aircrew. Our income has been severely affected by the cancellation of countless events so we will be excited to see the final product – we are sure it will be a big success!”

Kevin Fenlon, CEO of RGB added:

“Our calendar is designed to celebrate the beauty of our region, whilst fundraising for Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust and Devon Air Ambulance at the same time. We look forward to seeing what landmarks, wildlife and scenery are featured in the photos we receive.”

Those wishing to submit a photograph simply need to email it to brandteam@rgbltd.co.uk by Friday 11th September confirming the location, along with the photographer’s name and contact details. The entry needs to be landscape orientation and a total of three entries per person will be accepted. Full terms and conditions can be found on RGB Building Supplies’ website – www.rgbltd.co.uk.

Charity & CSR, Construction, News, South West

Builders merchant launches campaign in aid of air ambulance trusts

RGB Building Supplies is delighted to launch its latest charity initiative to raise vital funds for Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust and Devon Air Ambulance.

The builders merchant has pledged to donate 25p to the charities from the sale of every promotional ‘bulk bag’, which are used to carry large quantities of aggregates, such as sand, crushed stone and gravel.

Stephanie Bray, Corporate Fundraising Officer at Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust, commented:

“This is a great way for a business to support its community and help raise crucial funds to keep their local air ambulance flying. Thank you to RGB Building Supplies and we hope lots of their customers support this fundraiser.”

Tracy Owen, Fundraising Manager at Devon Air Ambulance, said:

“We are delighted that RGB has chosen once again to support us and would like to thank them for their on-going support. During these challenging times, being able to work with RGB and build on the already strong partnership really does mean a lot. We know many people will be looking at various projects, which need what RGB has available in their charity bulk bags. If you are planning your own project and need any of the goods offered by the charity bags, please consider supporting us at the same time.”

Kevin Fenlon, CEO of RGB Building Supplies, added:

“We’ve created specialist bulk bags which carry each charity’s logo, and we’d like to encourage trade, and retail customers who are perhaps taking on a landscaping project in their own garden, to visit us for aggregates and help us raise as much money as possible for the charity. In advance, we’d like to thank everyone who purchases a bulk bag and supports our fundraising effort.”

News, Property, Property Buyer News, South West

Housebuilder invests over £9 million in Gloucestershire community

A housebuilder building new homes in Gloucestershire is making financial contributions of over £9 million towards improving facilities and infrastructure across the county.

Five-star builder Bellway Wales currently has eight housing developments under construction in Gloucestershire. Four of these are in the Gloucester area – in Brockworth, Churchdown, Hunts Grove and Highnam – while the other three are in Tutshill, Newent, and Lydney in the Forest of Dean, and in Charfield in South Gloucestershire.

The new homes at two further developments in the Gloucester area, in Brockworth and Hardwicke, have all been completed and sold.

As part of the planning agreements for these ten developments, Bellway has made significant investment in the local area.
In Churchdown, where 465 new homes are being provided at Pirton Fields, more than £6.1 million is being contributed towards local facilities, with nearly £5 million towards education – comprising £2.7 million towards primary education, £1.7 million for additional secondary school facilities at Chosen Hill School and more than £500,000 towards pre-school places.

In Brockworth, Bellway has provided £1.2 million as part of its Cotswold Chase development and a further £42,000 as part of Millbrook Grove, while in Hardwicke, £540,000 has been invested as part of Hardwicke Grange. In Highnam, where all the homes at Lassington Reach have now been sold, £435,000 is going towards community facilities.

Elsewhere across the county, more than £640,000 is being invested in Charfield as part of St James Mews. Bellway’s Manor Chase development has brought investment of £166,000 in Tutshill near Chepstow and Picklenash Grove in Newent has provided contributions totalling £117,000.

Sales Director for Bellway Wales, Billie Oaten, said: “The financial contributions we are making as part of our Gloucestershire developments represent a major investment towards local education, healthcare and road improvements.

“These contributions will benefit families moving to our homes in Gloucestershire, and existing residents who already live in the county.

“We have a longstanding commitment to Gloucestershire and are proud to be delivering much-needed new homes and investment around Gloucester and the county, and we look forward to continuing to help enhance the areas which surround our new homes.”

Bellway has a five-star rating with the Home Builders Federation (HBF), which means more than nine out of ten customers said that they would recommend the housebuilder to a friend in the HBF’s National New Homes Customer Satisfaction Survey.

For more information on the new homes Bellway is building in Gloucestershire, visit bellway.co.uk.

Charity & CSR, Construction, News, South West

Builders merchant continues air ambulance support

After raising £6,000 for Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust (CAAT) and Devon Air Ambulance over the past 12 months, RGB Building Supplies is delighted to continue its support of the charities for a further year.

The money was raised through charity breakfast mornings held in RGB’s branches, the builders merchant’s annual golf day, and staff members taking on individual challenges.

The company also supported the charities’ shops by holding a Christmas stock appeal. This invited the community to drop off items to their local RGB branch which could go on to be sold in Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust and Devon Air Ambulance stores.

Stephanie Bray, Corporate Fundraising Officer at Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust, commented:

“It has been wonderful to partner with RGB Building Supplies over the last 12 months. The company has shown real dedication and a remarkable team spirit while raising donations. Their generous support has helped to keep the Cornwall Air Ambulance flying in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, bringing critical care to those in urgent need. Support from local businesses is crucial for the air ambulance and so we’re thrilled to be supported again in 2020”.

Tracy Owen, Fundraising Manager at Devon Air Ambulance, added:

“We are absolutely thrilled to have RGB on board with us for another year. They are a great team and full of creative ideas – we are very much looking forward to seeing some interesting fundraisers in the coming months! The support of companies like RGB enable our critical care team to deliver lifesaving treatment to our patients in and around our county of Devon, who are extremely grateful to them”.

Kevin Fenlon, CEO of RGB Building Supplies, said:

“We’d like to thank all our customers, staff and the community for supporting our fundraising activities. It’s clear Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust and Devon Air Ambulance are close to the hearts of many across the region. We’re delighted to be supporting the charities for another year and we look forward to getting started with our fundraising.”

In 2019, CAAT flew 1,144 missions. The charity was the first air ambulance in the UK and since being established in 1982 it has grown considerably; it’s currently fundraising to add a new aircraft to its fleet.

In 2019, DAA assisted 985 patients. Having been established in 1992 the Trust now has Critical Care Cars, as well as their two existing aircraft in operation, which since the beginning of last year, operate until 2am every day.

As the charities’ aircrafts carry equipment that is not available on land ambulances, the doctors and critical care paramedics are able to bring an enhanced level of treatment to their patients, which otherwise would not be available until they reached the hospital.

News, South West

Programmers Use Lego Skills to Clinch Top Developer Roles

Two men have clinched jobs as IT Developers with an online energy switching business after demonstrating their skills with Lego, rather than programming.

James Brown and Ollie Spires are now working at the headquarters of energy auto-switching service Flipper in Nailsea, near Bristol after impressing at the unusual interview – aimed at finding out how they worked together and solved problems.

Instead of being subjected to the normal question and answer interview process, all the candidates for these roles were challenged to work in groups of three to create a Lego house in just 20 minutes.

Tim Genge, Head of Technology at Flipper, who devised the interview news said:

“The qualifications listed on a CV only tell you so much about a person, which courses they have attended and the technical knowledge they might have.”

“We wanted to test their softer skills. See how they work with others, if they are leaders or followers, how good are they at problem solving and explaining their ideas to others. And, very importantly, if they would fit in with the rest of our team.”

The groups were given details of an imaginary Lego family and their requirements for a home. Members of Flipper’s Management team then watched each group as they discussed and constructed the house to a tight deadline.

Having successfully completed the task, James and Ollie now work as web developers and are part of the team who constantly improve the Flipper platform, which searches out the best gas and electricity deals and manages the switching process for households signed up to the service.

Flipper Managing Director Mark Gutteridge said:

“There are more and more tech firms basing themselves in Bristol and the South West which has created a really dynamic market with lots of roles and lots of people applying for each one. By taking an innovative approach to recruitment we make ourselves memorable to the candidates and ensure we attract high calibre people – like James and Ollie.”

Every person who joins Flipper is presented with their own Lego minifigure, which not only looks like them but is also used as part of a fun staff incentive programme. Each week outstanding employees from across the business are presented the ‘Flipping Fantastic’ Award which sees their Lego figure promoted to stand on a special Lego plinth and given a Lego trophy at the company’s headquarters.

Food & Drink, South West

Celebrity chef opens new Devon showroom

Celebrity chef Jean-Christophe Novelli was in Bideford on Thursday 28th November to cut the ribbon and officially open new kitchen and bathroom showroom The Room Works.

Jean-Christophe mingled with guests, posing for selfies and giving top cooking tips, before Violet McKenzie-Pegg, Branch Manager at RGB Building Supplies Bideford, where The Room Works is based, took on the omelette challenge. The renowned chef then took over and demonstrated how to make the perfect egg-based favourite.

Violet McKenzie-Pegg commented:

“It was a fantastic evening and we’d like to say a big thank you to Jean-Christophe Novelli for joining us to officially open our new luxury kitchen and bathroom showroom. The Room Works is something brand-new for the local area and we look forward to welcoming people through the doors.”

The Room Works is a double-height, fully accessible showroom featuring aspirational kitchen and bathroom displays from leading brands such as Laura Ashley, Quooker, Omega Sheraton, Neff, Rangemaster Cookers, Booth & Co and Hansgrohe. The showroom is based on Caddsdown Industrial Estate, Bideford.

Further information about The Room Works can be found by visiting its website – www.theroomworks.co.uk.

Charity & CSR, Construction, South West

RGB launches last Community Fund for 2019

Through its Well Built Community Fund, RGB Building Supplies has already donated £5,000 for groups, charities and schools to spend at its branches this year. It has one last giveaway for 2019 and is calling for nominations for the chance to win £1,000 to purchase building materials or tools.

RGB’s Community Fund aims to help groups complete much-needed projects that they would not otherwise be able to.

The donation is to be spent at an RGB branch and can be used to purchase materials to complete a renovation project, or perhaps tools that could help with construction trade training.
Kevin Fenlon, CEO of RGB, commented:

“Our Community Fund has once again shown how many amazing groups there are in the region. Whatever the need, we’re encouraging community-focused groups, schools and charities to get in contact and explain how a donation of £1,000 would help.”

To apply for the £1,000 donation, groups simply need to email RGB@pmwcom.co.uk explaining how the donation will be used. Nominations can also be posted to RGB Community Fund, c/o PMW Communications, PO Box 167, Bideford, Devon, EX39 9DU. The closing date for nominations is Sunday 29th December.

The builders merchant will then select three finalists from all the nominations received and the public will be invited to vote for who they would like to receive the £1,000.

Terms and conditions, and further information about the different categories being supported by the Community Fund, can be found on RGB’s website – www.rgbltd.co.uk.

South West

Wells Cathedral enters the digital age with the help of rural broadband provider, Voneus

Voneus, the rural community broadband specialist, today announced that it has entered into a partnership with twelfth-century Wells Cathedral to bring transformative, superfast broadband services to the Cathedral, as well as to the residents and businesses of the City of Wells.

With a population of just over 10,000, Wells is the UK’s smallest city. Like many other of the UK’s rural communities, it has patchy access to high-speed broadband services. According to Ofcom, approximately 1,000 of the 6,593 premises within the city’s limits cannot access Superfast broadband services (those with speeds above 24 Mbps); while 41 buildings suffer connection speeds of less than 15 Mbps.

Voneus’ partnership with Wells Cathedral solves this problem by bringing Superfast Fixed Wireless Access broadband services to the whole of the city, without the long lead times and high levels of disruption associated with laying fibre optic cable. A small, unobtrusive transmitter located on the top of the Cathedral’s tower, which – at 55 metres – is the highest point in the city, can now beam broadband to any building with a direct line of sight, offering uncontended speeds of between 30 and 50 Mbps to residential homes, and up to 100 Mbps to local businesses, which include many retailers, cafes, galleries and light industrial units.

Transforming Wells into a digital Cathedral

Like many other premises in the city, Wells Cathedral itself also suffered with slow broadband speeds. By leveraging Voneus’ Fixed Wireless Access broadband services, the Cathedral – a Grade I listed building that dates back to the 1176 – has started to transform the experiences of employees, members of the congregation and visitors alike.

High-speed Wi-Fi will be available throughout the Cathedral and its grounds. As well as making it quicker for staff to process enquiries and tour bookings, this also makes it easier for the on-site shop and restaurant to process card payments. Visitors can even donate using contactless payments, as well as via the more traditional collection plate.

“With Voneus’ help, we’re turning Wells into a truly digital cathedral with stronger connections to our local community as well as to people living much further afield,” said the Very Reverend Dr John Davies DL, Dean of Wells.

Environmentally sympathetic infrastructure

Voneus has worked closely with Cathedral authorities, as well as Historical England, to ensure that its fixed wireless broadband infrastructure is environmentally sympathetic to the Grade I listed building as well as to the wider city. The transmitter installed on top of the Cathedral tower is almost invisible to the naked eye and has been specially designed to blend into the fabric of the building. Unlike fibre optic broadband, which requires roads to be dug up, Voneus’ services can be deployed almost immediately, requiring only the installation of a small, discreet antenna on the outside of the home or business premise.

“We’re delighted to be working alongside Wells Cathedral to bring superfast broadband to the homes and local businesses of Wells, as well as to the Cathedral itself,” said Steve Leighton, CEO, Voneus.

“This project is a fantastic example of the important role church buildings can play in connecting communities suffering from poor broadband coverage.”

Voneus is an authorised supplier – and the only nationwide wireless broadband provider – included on the Church of England’s Parish Buying scheme. Cathedrals, churches and other religious buildings located in communities with poor connection speeds can find out how to bring unobtrusive, environmentally sensitive superfast broadband to their buildings and communities by visiting: https://www.parishbuying.org.uk/categories/phone-and-broadband/wireless-community-broadband