News: Willmott Dixon recruits Rotherham apprentices

Willmott Dixon Partnerships has recruited four local apprentices in Rotherham as part of the National Apprenticeship Service's 100 in 100 campaign.

Stacey Bann, Jack Smith, Tyler Shaw and Daniel Essex will join Willmott Dixon's Rotherham branch through the company's pledge to recruit eight local apprentices each year and its partnership with Rotherham College of Arts and Technology (RCAT).

Willmott Dixon Partnerships is working with Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council's arms length management organisation 2010 Rotherham to deliver a repairs service to 12,000 council-owned properties in the areas of Wentworth South, Wentworth Valley, Rother Valley West and Rother Valley South.

David Coldwell, Rotherham branch manager at Willmott Dixon said: "We were keen to recruit Building Maintenance Operations apprentices but there were no college providers to deliver the training in the local area.

"We contacted the National Apprenticeship Scheme and Rotherham College of Arts and Technology and both organisations were willing to investigate the options, meet to discuss requirements and find a way forward. We were thrilled when months of hard work paid off and the college was given centre approval to deliver the training programme.

"It's allowed us to recruit four new local apprentices and give two existing employees, Nick Booth and Robert Lane, the opportunity to further their careers.

"Through our contract with 2010 Rotherham we're aiming to provide opportunities for eight apprentices every year. It is our aim to leave a lasting legacy in the communities where we are working and this is an important step forward, not just for Willmott Dixon, but also local youngsters and an opportunity for new qualifications and jobs to be created in the area. We would welcome the involvement of other local companies who wish to invest for tomorrow rather than just today."

Charles Grayson, senior business advisor at RCAT, added: "We are focused on supporting the training needs of local employers and opening career opportunities for our region's young people.

"The Building Maintenance Operations apprenticeship offers a wide range of construction skills ranging from carpentry and joinery to painting and decorating, and even maintenance plumbing.

"We received over 100 applications and the six successful candidates have really shown the enthusiasm, drive and willingness learn which embeds the ethos of apprenticeship training today."

Stacey Bann, is one of the apprentices who has started work with Willmott Dixon. She said: "I did a six month training programme through 2010 Rotherham and learnt basic construction skills, like plastering and tiling. It helped me to realise that I wanted to do plastering as a career, but I couldn't find a job and ended up being unemployed for five months which was horrible.

"When I wake up in the morning I need to know that I've got something to do and a routine because I like to be active. I've always preferred doing practical things so a hands on role is perfect for me.

"Finding out that I'd got the apprenticeship was fantastic and I just can't wait to start work and training for my industry qualifications."

The 100 in 100 Apprenticeship campaign has the aim of 100 South Yorkshire companies committing to recruit or start to train 100 apprentices in 100 days.

Wilmott Dixon website
RCAT website

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News: Recognition for Rotherham retrofit scheme

Bramall's retrofit project in Rotherham has been named winner of the "Property and the Built Environment" category in the 2011 Sustain Awards.

The ceremony, held as part of the recent Ecobuild conference in London, was attended by representatives from across the construction and sustainability sector and showcased the industry’s best housing and design schemes.

The retrofit scheme has been completed by Rotherham social housing contractor Bramall Construction, in partnership with arm's length management organisation 2010 Rotherham and design and sustainability specialists URBED, and Aecom as part of the Technology Strategy Board's £17m "Retrofit for the Future" programme.

Six council homes in Wath Road, Brampton Bierlow have been given an overhaul in order to improve their energy efficiency and drastically reduce carbon emissions.

Work carried out on the properties included improvements to insulation, using sustainable products such as paper and wood fibre, and the installation of photovoltaic panels and solar thermal tubes to generate electricity and hot water.

Residents have also benefitted from technology including mechanical ventilation systems, which greatly improves air quality, and high performance double and triple glazed windows.

Residents already living in the homes were interviewed before the start of the process to ensure the new technology would suit them and their lifestyles. The approach was then tweaked so that all six properties were refurbished using different combinations of technology in order to get the maximum benefit for each resident and in order to "test out" the methods of reducing carbon emissions.

Steve Batty, partnering manager at Bramall Construction said: "We are delighted to be recognised in the Sustain Awards this year and the award is credit to the hard work put in by the partnership.

"We hope that the improvements we have made to the homes in Rotherham will continue to be of benefit to the residents for many years to come."

Charlie Baker, URBED lead Designer, added: "This team was able to prove that achieving 80% reductions in energy use is possible for the buildings and the people in them as well as pointing the way to making it financially viable."

Bramall Construction website

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News: Bramall helps Rotherham residents benefit from retrofit

Rotherham residents have become some of the first in the country to benefit from thousands of pounds worth of eco-friendly refurbishment works, thanks to 2010 Rotherham and Bramall Construction.

Six council homes in Wath Road, Brampton Bierlow have been given an overhaul in order to improve their energy efficiency and drastically reduce carbon emissions, as part of a government pilot project.

Work carried out on the six properties has included improvements to insulation, using sustainable products such as paper and wood fibre, and the installation of photovoltaic panels and solar thermal tubes to generate electricity and hot water.

Residents have also benefitted from technology including mechanical ventilation systems, which greatly improves air quality, and high performance double and triple glazed windows.

Residents Shirley and Melvyn Dalton, who have lived in their home for 38 years, said: "We have already noticed a real difference with the heating and level of noise. It's almost like having a new home! We're looking forward to seeing how much of a difference the work will make to our energy bills, particularly during the winter months."

Funding for the £150,000 project came from the £17m "Retrofit for the Future" competition, which was launched by the Technology Strategy Board in early 2009 with the aim of bringing existing housing up to excellent environmentally friendly standards by reducing carbon emissions by 80%.

The project in Brampton is one of 86 that received funding to showcase innovative, environmentally sustainable housing. Bramall was the only contractor in Yorkshire to be selected.

Neil Baxter, Managing Director at Manvers-based Bramall, said: "We are delighted to have been involved in the delivery of this programme in the town.

"It's great that Rotherham is leading the way when it comes to ensuring that its existing housing contributes towards meeting the Government's carbon emissions reduction targets."

2010 Rotherham's Interim Chief Executive Graham Eades said: "The six Brampton Bierlow homes were chosen as the style is typical of the majority of Council properties. Following the completion of our Decent Homes programme this month, we are committed to ensuring that homes are kept to decency, and this includes keeping properties free from damp with efficient heating systems. This scheme will go a long way to trialling new ways to do this."

Bramall are working to make retrofit projects affordable and are already pioneering sustainable new build properties. They are already building zero carbon homes to Level 6 of the Code for Sustainable Homes for less than £130,000 and have worked on one of the UK's largest zero carbon developments in Slough, Berkshire.

Bramall recently become a founder member of the Passivhaus Trust and is working on site to build what are thought to be the first rural Passivhaus accredited homes in the UK at Wimbish, Essex.

Rotherham 2010 website
Bramall Construction website

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News: Morrison to build training academy in Rotherham

Leading repairs and maintenance service provider, Morrison, has announced that they will build the Morrison Northern Academy for training and development in Rotherham as they begin a £60.5m contract to maintain council properties.


The five and a half year deal, with four possible one-year extensions, is to repair and maintain 13,000 properties in Rotherham North, Rotherham South and Wentworth North.

Mark Waterhouse, Partnering Director for The Yorkshire Region of Morrison said: "I am immensely proud that Morrison has been selected as the partner of choice for Rotherham and am really looking forward to the challenges ahead.

"Throughout the lengthy selection process to find a new partner we have been challenged not only to find new ways to improve on the current repairs and improvements service, but also to demonstrate how we will make a real and meaningful contribution to Rotherham people and the local business community.

"Apart from delivering a first class, customer friendly and respectful responsive repairs service we will be heavily investing in training and development for both our staff and customers through the Morrison Northern Academy which we will be building in Rotherham.

"Our aim is to create increased and long term sustainable employment and to make sure that we are always at the heart of all things Rotherham."

Willmott Dixon Partnerships secured a similar five and a half year contract worth £58m with possible extensions, to provide responsive repairs to nearly 12,000 homes and properties in Wentworth South, Wentworth Valley, Rother Valley West and Rother Valley South.

Both contractors are taking part in roadshows across the borough to give customers an oppportunity to speak to staff and find out more about the new companies.

Rotherham 2010 website
Morrison website

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News: Willmott Dixon opens Rotherham branch

Willmott Dixon Group has opened the company's new Rotherham branch from where it will manage a responsive repairs service to nearly 12,000 homes and properties.

In August Willmott Dixon Group's repair and maintenance specialist Willmott Dixon Partnerships won a five and a half year contract worth £58m with possible extensions, to provide responsive repairs to nearly 12,000 homes and properties in Wentworth South, Wentworth Valley, Rother Valley West and Rother Valley South.

Rick Willmott, chief executive of Willmott Dixon Group said: "We are very excited about starting a long-term partnership with Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council and coming here is a sign of just how much we value that relationship. It also gave me a chance to meet and talk with our team who will deliver our service to residents.

"Our general manager in Rotherham, Dave Coldwell, has an exceptional track-record for running a three star rated repairs and maintenance service, most recently in Barnsley, and I know that he and the team are looking forward to replicating that in Rotherham."

Cabinet Member for Safe and Attractive Neighbourhoods Councillor Jahangir Akhtar said: "We thank Rick Willmott for opening the new Willmott Dixon branch. We welcome visits like these to Rotherham as they provide a real boost to staff and herald a new beginning for our customers. During the externalisation process Rotherham Council was determined to get the best possible service for our tenants at the keenest price."

Willmott Dixon Partnerships managing director Mick Williamson, who lives in nearby Maltby, said, "It was great to see Rick in Rotherham. As a private company, we have strong family values and that includes senior management like Rick and Chris spending time meeting our teams and visiting our branches. As a local person, I am absolutely committed to developing and delivering a three star excellent service, just like we have achieved with other clients, including in South Yorkshire."

Wilmott Dixon website

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News: Willmott Dixon and Morrison secure Rotherham housing contracts

Construction specilaists, Willmott Dixon and Morrison plc have secured contracts worth £120m to work with the council's arms length management organisation (ALMO) 2010 Rotherham to deliver a repairs service to council-owned property in Rotherham.

Willmott Dixon Group's repair and maintenance specialist Willmott Dixon Partnerships has won a five and a half year contract worth £58 million with possible extensions, to provide responsive repairs to nearly 12,000 homes and properties in Wentworth South, Wentworth Valley, Rother Valley West and Rother Valley South.

Morrison has won a £60.5m five and a half year deal, with four possible one-year extensions, to repair and maintain 13,000 properties in Rotherham North, Rotherham South and Wentworth North.

The new contracts go live in October and cover repairs, voids, capital works, gas and electrical, plus aids and adaptations. Employees currently with the council will be transfered to work on the projects.

Willmott Dixon Partnerships managing director Mick Williamson said: "We are delighted to be given this opportunity to work with 2010 Rotherham in delivering a first-class service to residents over the coming years.

"Our aim will be to work closely with 2010 Rotherham and other stakeholders to develop and deliver a three star excellent service as we have achieved with other clients, including in South Yorkshire.

"We are here for the long-term and welcome nearly 170 employees from Rotherham who will be joining us on the new contract."

Guy Wakeley, chief executive of Morrison, said: "The Borough of Rotherham will now form the new hub for our businesses in Yorkshire, where we will continue to grow our presence and create sustainable employment."

Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods Councillor Akhtar added: "2010 Rotherham and Rotherham Borough Council are determined to get the best possible service for our tenants at the keenest price. As part of this we have chosen Morrison and Willmott Dixon as the new contractors to carry out repairs and maintenance to Council housing from October this year.

"Both Morrison and Willmott Dixon are established national providers with excellent reputations for providing efficient repairs and maintenance services delivered to a three star standard."

2010 Rotherham website
Morrison website
Willmott Dixon website

Images: brchamber.co.uk

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News: Retrofitting Rotherham for a low carbon future

Social housing projects across Rotherham are set to benefit from a share of £17 million of government funding to test low carbon building technology.

The programme, entitled "Retrofit for the Future", is the first of its kind in the UK, and will see social housing units across the country retrofitted with new, innovative technologies.

Understanding and implementing best practice retrofitting is key to meeting the government's CO2 reduction target of 80% by 2050. The results of the projects will be shared to help show how the UK's current housing stock could be made more energy efficient.

Rotherham 2010 and Bramall Construction have carried out full feasibility studies and devised innovative proposals and have now been awarded proof of concept development contracts to carry out retrofits on current social houses.

The retrofit prototypes will each receive an average of £142,000 to demonstrate deep cuts in carbon emissions and exemplar energy efficient measures in UK social housing. The level of funding is specifically designed to stimulate the implementation of innovative, proof of concept demonstrator houses that may offer cost effective solutions for wider role out across the UK.

Wentworth MP and Housing Minister, John Healey, said: "New homes are 40 per cent more energy efficient now compared to 2002, but we must and can do more.

"Many of the homes owned by councils and housing associations - almost a quarter of the UK's housing stock - will be made-over using innovative ideas from the competition. This will make them warmer, greener and cheaper to run."

Work will be carried out on the six Rotherham council properties in Brampton Bierlow to improve energy efficiency, including improvements to insulation using sustainable products such as paper, wood fibre insulation and reducing fuel consumption by installing solar thermal heating systems, PassivHaus heating systems and many other environmentally friendly products.

Dave Booth, Commercial Director at Bramall Construction, said: "We are delighted to be involved in the delivery of this programme in the town. By working with 2010 Rotherham, we are helping to turn their ambitions for environmentally sustainable housing into reality."

Rotherham 2010 website
Bramall website
Rotherham

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News: 2010 Rotherham building for the future

Victoria Dempsey has been named as the best female building and electrical skills apprentice of the year 2009 in the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) awards.

And 2010 Rotherham's apprentice plumber and gas fitter Emma Pryce was successful in becoming one of the four finalists in the Female Plumbing Skills category.

Victoria was one of four winning apprentices at the award ceremony in a scheme that has been running for 12 years.

2010 Rotherham's Learning and Development Officer Julia Cadman said: "It is great for our organisation to be recognised as having some of the best apprentices in the UK. All our apprentices are talented and hard working, and are an asset to the customers on whose homes they work.

"2010 Rotherham is hugely committed to supporting the development of our future generations. The fact we had two females in the final demonstrates the calibre of our apprentices and 2010 Rotherham's apprentice scheme."

2010 Rotherham was also honoured for its work in encouraging young people to take up trained apprenticeships in much needed construction skills.

The company was set up to manage, maintain and improve council homes and Rotherham borough estates and currently has 37 apprentices. At the end of the apprenticeship programme, the trainees are fully fledged tradespersons and are expected to be able to work on their own completing the work of a skilled tradesperson. All apprenticeships within 2010 Rotherham are qualified to level 3, as opposed to the standard level 2 which most companies offer.

Mark Bramah, assistant Chief Executive of APSE presenting the awards said: "These awards help us to recognise the vital contribution made by apprentices to the work of councils in helping to maintain and repair people’s homes and civic buildings across the UK.

"I would like to thank all the councils involved in these awards as providers of excellent training to apprentices and of course it is only right we pay tribute to those individual apprentices who have worked so hard to achieve the vital skills within the construction industry."

2010 Rotherham website
Rotherham

Images: apse.org.uk

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News: Rotherham 2010 BETS scheme wins new contract

More Rotherham residents are set to benefit from better estates as 2010 Rotherham expands its popular Borough Environmental Training Scheme.


The BETS trainees have been working on projects for council tenants in the Borough for almost two years, and the scheme has now won a contract with South Yorkshire Housing Association (SYHA) to provide an environmental works service to a development of affordable eco-homes in Canklow.

Services to be provided by the trainees will include litter picking, removing fly-tipped rubbish, clearing leaves, sweeping footpaths and general maintenance of communal shrub beds. They will also keep an eye on empty properties, inspecting for vandalism and ensuring that gardens are kept tidy.
The BETS scheme is run by 2010 Rotherham, in partnership with Rotherham Borough Council and Morthyng Ltd.

Lynn Aston, 2010 Rotherham’s Interim Director of Operations, said: "2010 is not just about housing, it is also about education and the environment. The BETS scheme provides an excellent opportunity for young people to learn invaluable skills, such as leadership and working as part of a team.

"It has been a great success over the past two years, with many Rotherham residents noticing a real difference in their area. We hope that this new contract will be the first of many for the BETS trainees, and that the scheme can go on to benefit many more residents and young people."

Rotherham 2010 website

Rotherham

Images: 2010rotherham.org

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News: 2010 Rotherham secures contract

2010 Rotherham Ltd has secured a contract to install aids and make adaptations to elderly and disabled people's homes in Rotherham. 2010 – which manages, repairs and improves Rotherham's Council homes - has become one of the key providers of Rotherham Borough Council's aids and adaptations work after winning a four-year contract with the Council. Work ranges from fitting grab rails, to installing walk-in showers, to constructing property extensions to improve customers’ living environments - both in Council and privately-owned properties. 2010 Rotherham Ltd construction manager Keith Bradley said: "We were delighted to win the new contract which is a credit to the specialised teams we have at ground level – our plumbers, joiners and bricklayers. "The emphasis of our approach is firmly on the customer and we aim to deliver a first class service. With much of the work we carry out there is inevitably going to be some upheaval, but we are sensitive to our customers' needs and try to minimise disruption as much as possible." 2010 Rotherham Ltd is investing significantly in training for its staff, for example, in understanding customers’ unique expectations and aspirations. It now intends to benchmark itself against other aids and adaptations service providers across the country and seek out good practice as part of its policy of continuous improvement.
2010 Rotherham website

Rotherham

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News: Female apprentices leading the way

Six women at 2010 Rotherham Ltd are lighting the way to success in what are traditionally seen as men’s jobs. It is hoped the success of 2010 electrician Emma Martin and her five women apprentice colleagues will spark an interest in becoming an electrician or plumber among the younger generation. 2010 Rotherham Ltd – which repairs, maintains and improves Rotherham’s 22,000 Council homes – is offering work placements to school children for one to three weeks and is particularly keen to hear from female students. Paul Ruston, 2010 Rotherham Ltd’s Mechanical and Electrical Services Manager, said: "We see our female operatives as a major asset at 2010 Rotherham Ltd. They have shown what can be achieved and this will hopefully encourage other women to pursue careers within the construction industry." One young apprentice, Laura Miller said: "I wanted a job to match my lifestyle and I like the fact that as an apprentice you’re earning while learning. I thought I would have heard some comments about it being a man’s job and not suitable for a woman, but to be honest I haven’t encountered anything like that."

2010 Rotherham website
Rotherham

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News: Rotherham's French Connection

January saw 2010 Rotherham play host to three French joinery apprentices. 2010 Rotherham is an arm's length management company (ALMO) created by Rotherham Borough Council to manage, maintain and improve its council houses and estates. Rémi Saulnier, Adrien Cheri and Thibaud Fevre, spent two weeks working alongside 2010 Rotherham employees thanks to an exchange scheme organised by Business & Education South Yorkshire. Aged between 18-21, the apprentices all hailed from the Poitou-Charentes region of western France. This is the second year that 2010 Rotherham has taken part in the French exchange, having welcomed two plumbers from Nancy last year. The placement is designed to give the young apprentices the chance to practice the technical skills in the UK, whilst learning more about our way of life.
BE-SY website

2010 Rotherham website
Rotherham

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News: Rok announces huge turnover

Building firm Rok has announced their latest financial results with turnover jumping to £950m for the year up to December 2007. The company has a base in Rotherham and has been working with Rotherham 2010 on the Decent Homes scheme. Rok's ties with Yorkshire were strengthened in February 2007 when it bought Rotherham-based EMB Services for an undisclosed sum. EMB worked for Rok, supplying plumbing, gas fitting, plastering and joinery work, on the Decent Homes programme in Rotherham.
Rok website
Contract Journal article
Yorkshire Post article

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