Pupils benefit from J Tomlinson and Futures Housing Group boiler work incentive scheme

Primary school pupils and J Tomlinson

Primary school pupils have been given a boost by boiler servicing contractor J Tomlinson thanks to support from Futures Housing Group customers.

The company operates the maintenance and servicing contract for the housing organisation, and each time staff are given first-time access to a customer’s home to carry out work, the firm donates £1 to invest into the community.

Now J Tomlinson has donated £500 to Lea Primary School at Lea, near Matlock, in Derbyshire, which is a contribution towards the creation of an outdoor classroom area that the Friends of Lea School are currently fundraising for.

Operations manager at J Tomlinson, Dave Fisher, said: “We’re very pleased to have been able to present £500 to Lea Primary School to help the school expand on its outdoor learning, and it’s all thanks to cooperation from customers of Futures Housing Group.

“Allowing us first-time access to their homes to enable the J Tomlinson team to repair, maintain and service boilers helps us to provide as efficient a service as we can, and this donation represents 500 occasions on which we’ve been able to achieve first-time access. It’s great to see that this incentive is also providing support for community initiatives, as well as helping to ensure that boilers are serviced and maintained regularly, which is important for safety.”

Dave was joined at the presentation by Futures Housing Group gas surveyor Jason Topley, who said: “It’s great that J Tomlinson have continued this commitment to providing funds for local schools and colleges. It gives us another reason to celebrate them gaining first-time access to another 500 of our properties to maintain boilers and ensure customer safety.”

Head teacher at Lea Primary School, Karen Maycock, said: “This donation will make a real difference to the outdoor learning area for our children in Key Stage 1. More learning will be able to take place outside with the children having more choice in the range of activities available. I’m sure we’ll see many more smiling faces! Thank you for the generous donation.”

J Tomlinson, which is based at Beeston near Nottingham, has a long-term contract with Futures Housing Group to carry out maintenance and servicing of the organisation’s boilers at over 6,000 homes across Derbyshire, including Amber Valley and Erewash. 

Futures Housing Group provides more than 9,000 affordable homes throughout the East Midlands, including over 6,000 homes in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire and around 3,000 homes in Northamptonshire.

J Tomlinson is looking for additional community causes to support in Derbyshire and is appealing for residents and community groups to contact the company to put forward their suggestions for sponsorship. 

J Tomlinson provides a range of integrated building solutions including construction, refurbishment, repairs and maintenance, mechanical and electrical services (M&E), and facilities management. It operates across the East Midlands, West Midlands and Yorkshire.

For more information about J Tomlinson, visit www.jtomlinson.co.uk

Press release issued by Nottingham based PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

New commercial manager at frozen food distributor Central Foods

Neil Cooper of Central Foods

Frozen food distributor Central Foods has appointed Neil Cooper to the newly created role of commercial manager.

The position has been created as part of the company’s continued expansion plans and growth.

Central Foods managing director Gordon Lauder said: “Central Foods has been experiencing steady and sustainable growth over some time, working with a growing number of clients and supplying frozen food to an increasing number of wholesalers and food service operators in the UK and around the world.

“Neil’s appointment strengthens our team and will support us, as we build on that success.” 

Neil joined the Northamptonshire-based company from foodservice provider Bidvest, where he held the position of buyer, with responsibility across a number of key product categories. He brings with him a broad range of knowledge and experience within the catering leisure industry, including FMCG, gained from experience in many areas of business and industry, and purchasing including food and non-food categories.

He said: “I am very pleased to have become part of the team at Central Foods – a company that is really focused, offering a point of difference and highly regarded within the frozen food distribution sector and the foodservice industry in general.”

Central Foods, which is based at Collingtree near Northampton, supplies more than 220 independent wholesalers, as well as larger national and regional wholesalers. It also supplies to foodservice caterers across the entire foodservice industry, including pubs, hotels, restaurants, staff canteens, schools, hospitals, coffee shops, football grounds and universities.

Offering a one-stop shop to the foodservice sector, it sources products from around the world and the UK, supplying more than 400 different lines, ranging from meat, bakery items and canapés through to buffet products, desserts and puddings.

Central Foods has been regularly named in the annual Grant Thornton Northamptonshire Ltd report which highlights the growth of the top 100 privately owned businesses in Northamptonshire, and was ranked as one of the 200 fastest growing companies in the East Midlands in the 2015 Grant Thornton and CBI report, the most recent available, which highlighted growing organisations. 

The company is due to mark its 21^st anniversary in 2017. For more information visit www.centralfoods.co.uk

Press release issued by Nottingham based Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

New director appointed at construction services company J Tomlinson

Tony O'Toole of J Tomlinson

Construction services company J Tomlinson has appointed Tony O’Toole as managing director of its M&E operation.

The position is a new post and reflects the company’s plan to grow the M&E side of the business.

“J Tomlinson is experiencing a continued period of expansion, and Tony’s appointment reflects our commitment to building on our M&E services. Nationally the M&E sector is starting to show signs of growth, and by strengthening our M&E team we aim to be best placed to expand this division,” said J Tomlinson CEO Mark Davis.

Tony, who was previously operations director at Balfour Beatty Engineering Services for the North West and Midlands delivery unit, is based in J Tomlinson’s head office at Beeston near Nottingham, working across the East Midlands, West Midlands and Yorkshire.

He said: “This is an exciting time for me to be joining J Tomlinson Ltd and to contribute to the strategic goals which will see a sustained growth in both the turnover and profitability of the J Tomlinson Ltd group.”

With more than 30 years of experience within the M&E business, Tony began his career as an apprentice electrician and has since held senior positions within both PLC and privately owned national M&E contractors.

“Tony is a proven leader with hard-core engineering and construction skills, industry vision and the ability to unite people behind that vision, and I am very pleased to welcome him to the J Tomlinson team,” added Mark.

J Tomlinson provides a range of integrated building solutions including construction, refurbishment, repairs and maintenance, mechanical and electrical services (M&E), and facilities management. 

The company employs more than 400 people, and has been growing steadily and sustainably in recent years, with turnover increasing from £54 million in 2014 to £74 million in 2016.

Recently, the firm opened a new West Midlands headquarters after experiencing expansion in the region – transferring its West Midlands base from a site in Birmingham to larger offices in London Road, Canwell, near Sutton Coldfield.

For more information about J Tomlinson, visit www.jtomlinson.co.uk

Press release issued by Nottingham based Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Cheggs chocolate eggs launched by snack brand Salty Dog

30g and 90g bags of Cheggs chocolate eggs

Snack brand Salty Dog has unveiled its first key confectionery product with the launch of Cheggs – tasty bite-sized chocolate eggs.

The candy coated solid chocolate eggs are available in two different pack sizes, 30g and 90g, and are perfect for retail, food service and travel catering operators.

Suitable for vegetarians, Cheggs are designed to appeal to both adults and children.

The Salty Dog brand, alongside the Darling Spuds brand, is created and run by husband and wife team Dave and Judy Willis, well known for their range of snacks, which include crisps, nuts, popcorn, cheddary biscuit bites and Gruntled Pork Crackling.

With a strong pedigree in the sector behind them, the launch of Cheggs is the first major sweet confectionery snack unveiled by the brand, based in Chesham, Buckinghamshire.  

“I love candy coated chocolate eggs, and Cheggs seemed a natural extension to our brand,” said Judy. “It’s a lively, fun confectionery product, which builds on the reputation and range that we’ve created over more than 13 years in the snack sector.”

Available from November 2016, the launch of Cheggs is perfectly timed for retailers and food service operators planning their Easter range. They come in shelf ready packaging and clipstrips are offered for the 90g packs.

RRP for the 30g pack is 50p and £1.20 for the 90g pack. 
Cheggs are available from Chiltern Snacks - telephone 01494 776006 or visit www.chilternsnacks.co.uk.

Visit website for more details www.cheggseggs.com

Press release issued by Nottingham based PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk 

J Tomlinson starts work on Volvo’s new £4.3 million training hub

J Tomlinson starts work on new Volvo training hub

Work has got underway on site at a new £4.3 million training hub being built by J Tomlinson Ltd for Volvo Car UK.

The new Training and Development Centre in Daventry, Northamptonshire, will replace the existing training facility, which has been delivering technical, commercial and management training to Volvo dealer employees from across the UK since 1980.

Set to open in summer 2017, the new facility will feature remote video and web-based technologies, and will ensure the firm’s training experience matches the increasingly cutting-edge nature of its cars.

Nottingham-based construction company J Tomlinson has been appointed to build the 2,825 m² training hub.

Martin Gallagher, managing director (construction) for J Tomlinson, said: “Volvo is a name synonymous with quality and safety, and J Tomlinson is very proud to be constructing a new training and development centre for such a well-respected, globally known brand – helping the company to continue its position as an industry leader.

“This is the latest in a number of projects that we have been involved in for the sector. Last year, J Tomlinson completed work on a redevelopment of Coventry Transport Museum, while a £5.1 million project to build a new visitor centre and factory extension for Triumph Motorcycles in Hinckley, Leicestershire, is just about to finish.”

Working across the East Midlands, West Midlands and Yorkshire, J Tomlinson provides a range of integrated building solutions, including construction, refurbishment, repairs and maintenance, mechanical and electrical services (M&E), and facilities management. 

David Baddeley, Volvo Car UK’s operations director, said: “This is a significant show of commitment from Volvo in its Daventry operations. Our new facility will provide the thousands of Volvo dealer employees across the country with the best possible environment to enhance their knowledge for years to come, and I am delighted that J Tomlinson has now begun work on the project.”

On completion, the site – which currently employs 32 people – will be purchased by Daventry District Council and leased back to Volvo Car UK.

For more information, visit www.jtomlinson.co.uk

Press release issued by Nottingham based Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk 

Butt Foods’ office manager Kelly Beard an award finalist

Kelly Beard of Butt Foods

The office manager of specialist baker Butt Foods, Kelly Beard, has been shortlisted as a finalist in the manufacturing category of the Nottingham Post Women in Business Awards 2016.

Kelly, who has been with Butt Foods since joining as an administrative assistant 15 years ago, will join other finalists at a glittering ceremony at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Nottingham on 23^rd November.

"Our independent judging panel had a tremendous task of shortlisting the finalists, so truly well done,” said Richard Edwards, Nottingham Post events and exhibitions co-ordinator.

The whole team at Butt Foods is delighted to learn of Kelly’s success, said MD David Williams.

“Kelly works at the heart of the business, and is regarded as a lynchpin for the company. She’s risen to all the challenges that have come our way, supporting her colleagues as best she can through the more difficult times in the past, as well as during the good times, and we are very proud that she’s been named as a finalist in these awards,” he added.

Kelly said: “I was very surprised and humbled to have been shortlisted in the Women in Business Awards, but delighted to have been given the chance to highlight the opportunities available for women in the manufacturing sector which is still a male-dominated sector.

“I’m proud of our products, proud of our dedicated and talented workforce and proud to be shortlisted, and I see this nomination and shortlisting very much as an endorsement of the whole team at Butt Foods.”

The Nottingham-based company produces a range of flatbreads, naans, sub rolls and other bakery products for the UK’s food service sector, available through Central Foods. Earlier this year the company was shortlisted in the Nottingham Post Business Awards.

For more information about Butt Foods, visit www.buttfoods.co.uk

Press release issued by Nottingham based PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Bake Off star Val teams up with Croots Farm Shop to launch tasty range of bakes

Steve Croot and Val Stones

Great British Bake Off star Val Stones has teamed up with the bakers at her brother’s Derbyshire farm shop, Croots, to create a new range of bakes.

The selection, named Val at Croots……made with love, features Virtuous Cake (fat free and sugar free), a three-pack cherry shortbread, and two-pack cookies in three different flavours - ginger, M&M and orange & raisin.

They were launched at Croots Farm Shop, near Duffield, during the shop’s Taste of Christmas event, where Val gave a series of popular demonstrations. The farm shop on Wirksworth Road is run by Val’s brother Steve Croot and his wife Kay, and she has been a regular visitor over the years.

“Val has had a hand in our bakes, quite literally, for some time – helping us out with ideas and suggestions from family recipes and favourites, including our Croots Christmas cake,” said Steve. “More recently, she has been working with our chief baker Margaret and her team in our kitchens to get the recipes just right for the Val at Croots……made with love range. We’re very excited to be launching these new products.

“Val’s a great baker, and I’ve enjoyed eating her cakes for more than 50 years now. We were delighted when she said she’d be happy to help us create a new range of bakes and to also do some baking demonstrations at Croots for our annual Taste of Christmas event.” 

Retired head teacher Val, who lives in Somerset, became one of the public’s favourite contestants in the most recent Great British Bake Off series.

She said: “I love visiting my brother Steve and his family in Derbyshire, and I’ve enjoyed helping out with ideas and recipes for Croots Farm Shop for several years. I always bake with love and I hope that comes across in the Val at Croots range.” 

Croots, which is based at Farnah House Farm, Wirksworth Road, is open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm (Shires Eatery until 4.30pm) and from 10am to 4pm on Sundays. Croots runs Fresh Fish Thursdays between 9am and 1pm on Thursdays.

For more information, visit www.croots.co.uk Find Croots on Twitter @crootsfarm_shop or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Croots-Farm-Shop

J Tomlinson helps army reserve centre light up in red

J Tomlinson joins EMRFCA to light up Army reserve centre

An army reserve centre in Leicester is being illuminated in red to mark the centenary of World War One, thanks to help from contractor J Tomlinson. 

The centre on Ulverscroft Road is taking part in the Leicestershire commemorates initiative in which organisations are invited to light up their buildings in red. 

The red lighting is in place for the duration of the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal, which is running until Remembrance Sunday on 13 November.  

Steve Kirkland, Managing Director – Repairs and Maintenance and Facilities Management, at J Tomlinson, said: “Lighting up a building in red is an eye-catching and effective way to promote the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal. 

“We are proud to have helped our client East Midlands Reserve Forces and Cadets Association (RFCA) to take part in this initiative by carrying out the necessary work to the lights so that Ulverscroft Road Army Reserve Centre is illuminated in red at night, in support of this commemoration.” 

J Tomlinson, which is based at Beeston near Nottingham, currently provides planned, preventative and reactive maintenance for sites managed by RFCA. 

Martin Capewell, Head of Estates at RFCA, said: “East Midlands RFCA manage the maintenance of Army Reserve Centres in the region, so we were delighted to be asked to take part in the ‘light up your building’ project this year. 

“LED flood lights with red filters have been installed across the length of the building adjacent to the road at Ulverscroft Road Army Reserve Centre. We wanted to commemorate the centenary of the First World War and show our support for the Royal British Legion’s (RBL) Poppy Appeal, so believe lighting up the training facility is a great way of doing this.”   

The Light Up Your Building project is a local initiative organised by Leicestershire’s World War One Reference Group with the support of the Leicestershire and Rutland branch of the RBL. 

J Tomlinson provides a range of integrated building solutions including construction, refurbishment, repairs and maintenance, mechanical and electrical services (M&E), and facilities management, operating across the East Midlands, West Midlands and Yorkshire.

Press release issued by Nottingham based Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk 

Croots Farm Shop scores success in British Sausage Week Awards

Steve Croot

Derbyshire farm shop Croots has struck gold once again with its brilliant bangers after winning awards as part of British Sausage Week 2016.

The farm shop near Duffield received gold awards for its Pork Sausage, Italian Sausage and Welsh Dragon Sausage, along with a silver award for its Lincolnshire Sausage.

The awards were made to celebrate British Sausage Week 2016, which runs from 31^st October to 6^th November and is now in its 19th year.

Steve Croot, who runs Croots Farm Shop at Farnah House Farm, Wirksworth Road, with wife Kay, said: “Our butchers are renowned for their skills in creating tasty flavours of sausages, which are made here on the premises of Croots. We’ve won stacks of awards for our bangers and meat products, but it’s great news to have won four more awards as part of British Sausage Week.

“Our customers are huge fans of sausages – our biggest seller – and we’re looking forward to once again celebrating British Sausage Week with a range of offers and an extensive selection of sausages, with something to suit all tastes.”

Croots Farm Shop is open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm (Shires Eatery until 4.30pm) and from 10am to 4pm on Sundays. Croots runs Fresh Fish Thursdays between 9am and 1pm on Thursdays.

For more information, visit www.croots.co.uk Find Croots on Twitter @crootsfarm_shop or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Croots-Farm-Shop

Press release issued by Nottingham based PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Focus Consultants designs new mental health unit

Carholme Court in Lincolnshire

Focus Consultants is playing a key role in a scheme to create Lincolnshire’s first psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU).

Work is expected to get underway shortly on the project, which involves transforming existing unused ward space on the St George’s Hospital site in Lincoln into a brand new ten-bed unit to provide intensive support closer to home for those with severe mental health problems.

Focus designed the scheme using Building Information Modelling (BIM) for the county’s mental health and learning disabilities services provider, Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LPFT).

The company, based in Nottingham and with offices in Boston and Aubourn in Lincolnshire, as well as in London and Leicester, is currently appointed as principle designer, designer, quantity surveyor and contract administrator for the development of the male-only unit. 

“This is a significant scheme for Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and for those who will be cared for at the unit, being the first psychiatric intensive care unit in the county of Lincolnshire,” said Focus Consultants senior project manager Andy White. “Focus Consultants is proud to have been appointed to several roles on this development, which is the latest in a number of hospital and healthcare projects that the company has been involved with in Lincolnshire and elsewhere.”

A PICU is a specialist psychiatric inpatient ward for patients with complex mental health needs who require intensive support.  The Lincoln development will help remove the need for some patients to travel out of the county in order to receive the level of care required, and is due to become operational and accept patients by next summer.

Dr John Brewin, Chief Executive for Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We want our patients to remain as close to home as possible during their recovery and the building of a PICU is one step closer to achieving this.

“It’s an exciting time for the Trust and further underlines our commitment to providing the highest possible quality of care for the people of Lincolnshire. We wanted to create a modern, homely, safe environment that will aid recovery and the designs for the new unit meet all of these requirements.”   

The unit at Carholme Court will accommodate ten individual en-suite bedrooms, plus a gymnasium, multi-faith room and lounge area for patients, as well as a secure and safe outdoor space.

The scheme has been designed by Focus to be compliant with guidelines from NAPICU - the national association that is committed to developing and promoting the speciality of psychiatric intensive care and low secure services - and best practice principles in better bedroom initiative for mental health patients.

Focus offers a range of services to the property and construction industry, including building surveying, quantity surveying, project management, and sustainable development support.

The company also specialises in funding and economic development including area regeneration strategies, funding applications, economic impact appraisals, business plans, and research and evaluation. Since 1994 Focus has also secured for clients more than £953 million of grants for projects and businesses across the UK and delivered more than £1.3 billion worth of projects and programmes – making it one of the most successful businesses of its kind in the country.

For more information, visit www.focus-consultants.co.uk

Press release issued by Nottingham based PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Customers help J Tomlinson raise money for charitable donation

Heanor Gate Science College donation from J Tomlinson

Derbyshire students are benefiting to the tune of £1,000 thanks to the cooperation of Futures Housing Group customers and the generosity of J Tomlinson, the company that services and maintains their boilers.

J Tomlinson operates the maintenance and servicing contract for the housing organisation, and each time the company’s staff are given first-time access to a customer’s home to carry out work, the firm donates £1 to invest into the community.

Now representatives from J Tomlinson’s repairs and maintenance team and Futures Housing Group have presented £1,000 to Heanor Gate Science College to be spent on new sports equipment for the academy in Kirkley Drive, Heanor, after the success of the fundraising scheme.

“We are delighted to be donating £1,000 to Heanor Gate Science College and would like to thank customers of Futures Housing Group for their cooperation in supporting the J Tomlinson team to carry out essential servicing, repairs and maintenance on the boilers at their homes,” said Dave Fisher, operations manager at J Tomlinson.

“Allowing us first-time access helps us to provide the most efficient service that we can and this donation represents a thousand times that we’ve been able to achieve first-time access to tenants’ homes. At the same time, we’ve been able to raise money for a good community initiative, so it’s a win, win situation all round.”

Dave was joined by Futures Housing Group representatives Sharon Holmes, asset management coordinator, and Jason Topley, gas surveyor, for a cheque presentation at the college.

Principal at Heanor Gate Science College, Stephen Huntington, said: “We are very grateful for the donation from J Tomlinson and would like to add our thanks to the Futures Housing Group tenants who have supported this fundraising initiative which will allow us to purchase sports equipment for our PE department.”

Jason Topley, gas surveyor at Futures Housing Group, said: “The safety of our customers is absolutely imperative and ensuring our boilers are regularly maintained is a big part of that. J Tomlinson staff being able to gain first time access to so many of our properties provides great peace of mind and also saves a lot of time and energy. It’s fantastic that J Tomlinson have made this donation and it’s great that a local school can benefit from our organisations working together so well.”

J Tomlinson, which is based at Beeston near Nottingham, has a long-term contract with Futures Housing Group to carry out maintenance and servicing of the organisation’s boilers at over 6,000 homes across Derbyshire, including Amber Valley and Erewash.

Futures Housing Group provides more than 9,000 affordable homes throughout the East Midlands, including over 6,000 homes in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire and around 3,000 homes in Northamptonshire.

J Tomlinson is looking for additional community causes to support in Derbyshire and is appealing for residents and community groups to contact the company to put forward their suggestions for sponsorship.

J Tomlinson provides a range of integrated building solutions including construction, refurbishment, repairs and maintenance, mechanical and electrical engineering (M&E), and facilities management. It operates across the East Midlands, West Midlands and Yorkshire.

For more information about J Tomlinson, visit www.jtomlinson.co.uk

Press release issued by Nottingham based pr company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk