Parkinson donate football tickets to local Primary School
As one of 127 proud sponsors of FC United of Manchester, Parkinson has purchased 2 adult season tickets and 4 children season tickets; which are given to members of the local community on a rota basis.
The Club is unlike any other football club as it is fully owned and democratically run by supporters, on a one member one vote basis.
Parkinson chose to support FC United due to their excellent work within their local community.
We recently donated the tickets to local Primary School, St Edmund’s Roman Catholic Primary School. The Headteacher, Mrs Clinton, organised a competition with the pupils asking them to write a letter to state why they should win and why they should receive the FC Utd Tickets.
The Winner, Scott Dolan “a massive football fan” took one of his school friends along to watch the home match.
Headteacher, Mrs Clinton expressed her thanks to company “Many Thanks, you have made 2 boys and their families very happy!”.
Stockton Central Library “turns a new page”
Following the extensive refurbishment undertaken by the company, Stockton Central Library was formally reopened by Best-Selling Author, Philippa Gregory.
Four decades since its first opening the new-look library now incorporates a new Customer Service Centre on the ground floor offering local residents a single point to find out information, apply for services and make payments to the Council.
Councillor David Coleman, Stockton Council’s cabinet member for access and communities, said: “By putting many of our services under one roof, we are creating a one-stop-shop which means residents will no longer need to visit several council offices.”
In addition to the existing library facilities, there is now a specialist technology suite for blind and visually impaired people, another suite is dedicated to local and family history and a multi-media conference facility caters for up to 100 people.
The picture shows our Regional Director, Steve Jackson (Right) talking to Councillor Paul Baker (Left), Lord Mayor of Stockton-on-Tees at the official opening of Stockton Central Library.
Festival House Official Opening
On Thursday 15th December local VIP’s got their first look inside the iconic Festival House – Blackpool’s newest wedding and celebration venue located on Blackpool Promenade.
The event, which was sponsored by the company, was to mark the official opening of the new venue.
The first ceremony is due to take place on January 12th 2012 however over 100 bookings have already been taken for weddings in the new year.
The event was well attended by the local press and appeared on BBC North West Tonight along with an interview with our very own Business Development Manager, Mike Tyler. The news report can be viewed by clicking on the click below.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b0185qf6/?t=18m58s
Members of the public are invited to take a look around the new venue on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th December 10am – 4pm.
Festival House Open Day!
Why not take a look inside Festival House?
Blackpool’s newest building on the Promenade is almost open for business and you can take a sneaky look inside.
The register office will be available for people to look around as it hosts open days in December.
An open weekend for the public to take a first look around the building will take place on Sat 17/Sun 18 December.
Blackpool & The Fylde College Students visit Parkinson Site
28 Construction Diploma Students from Blackpool and the Fylde College visited the Fleetwood Primary Care Centre Project over the course of 1 day.
The students were given a site tour by the Site Manager and then given a short presentation on the roles within the construction industry. Staff from various disciplines attended the event and spoke to students regarding construction legislation, company procedures, types of construction methods and the various stages of a project.
The company received some great feedback from the students who attended:-
“It was interesting and informative, shed light on a lot of questions I had”
“Good trip. Interesting to see how building sites operate and function”
“Great trip. Useful information and would like to go on another trip when its complete”
“Good trip. Helped answer some questions that helped me have a better understanding of what goes on, on a site”
“By going on this trip I got more of an understanding of how on site construction takes place and the many different aspects involved”
“Useful trip!”
“It was a good trip, now able to visualise what goes on, on site easier. It will be helpful when it comes to assignments”
“Very intellectual trip, helped me understand the different roles in the construction industry and the different aspects of construction methods”
“Enjoyed the trip a lot, was good to speak to the Site Manager and Health & Safety Inspector and to how they got to where they are. It gave me a better perspective of what I need to do in my career”
Tower Festival Headland Building Handover
Members of the Parkinson construction team, Blackpool Council, the Registrar and
the Architect were all in attendance for the handover of Festival House on Blackpool’s Promenade.
Superintendent Registrar, David Hill and project Architect, Saskia
Koopman from dRMM Architects officially handed over the new wedding
chapel by the cutting of a wedding cake.
Special thanks were given to Parkinson by Blackpool Council and the
Architect for the delivery of the quality project; with a special
mention to our Site Manager, Steve Bather.
The new facility provides a focal point for visitors with a Tourist Information centre occupying the ground floor with Registrar office and ceremony hall located on the first and second floor. The building also provides a panoramic view of Blackpool’s famous promenade.
Successful Recertification of the Company’s ISO Standards
The company is pleased to announce the successful completion of the 3 year ISOQAR re-certification audit of our IMS (Integrated Management System) which compiles of the following Standards; ISO 9001 Quality, ISO 14001 Environment & OHSAS 18001 Health & Safety.
The audit took place over the last two days and involved the auditors checking company procedures and documentation of all departments as well as a site visit to our Heysham Primary Care Centre project.
Below is an extract of the ISOQAR audit findings.
A well received visit with an IMS which is operating effectively with good commitment by those involved on the audit. The evidence presented over the two days recertification audit demonstrated the company’s approach and commitment to Quality, Environmental and Health & Safety beyond merely compliance and towards continual improvement. This approach is exemplified by the level of auditing and transparency shown on site with four types of auditing present which has been recently introduced: 1) Internal 2) D. Evans / Consultant 3) 2nd Party Consultants and 4) 3rd Party auditing. The depth of audits is also good with site audits covering fourteen separate areas: Policy, Asbestos, Waste, Storage, Emergencies, Site Plan, Site Documentation, Drawing Control, Sub Contractors, Purchasing, Direct Employees, Calibrated Equipment, Hired Equipment, Small Tools, Management, Inspection and Training. Legislation regarding the Environment and H & S was also referenced on the documentation: In addition a more detailed document is also in use that is used as a check list and is an example of good practice. Employees spoken to were to very helpful and approachable during the audit both on site and head office. Process controls are well maintained via the well established practical documentation on site which is reflected in the electronic data held at Head Office. There was very good evidence of improvements and forward thinking demonstrated at the opening meeting and when viewed alongside visits 4 and 5 show a high level of commitment to the three standards and improvement.
Winstanley School Handover
The partnered project at Winstanley Community Primary School was successfully handed over to the staff and pupils in September.
The scheme involved the construction of a new build extension and a refurbishment to various parts of the existing school.
Various Corporate Social Responsibility were also undertaken during the contract duration; the company’s Health and Safety mascot Isla Be Safe attended their school assembly to promote site safety and to inform the school pupils of the works. We also involved the pupils in a poster competition with the winners receiving prizes as well as a the posters being framed and displayed around the site perimeter. As part of our legacy we have supplied the school with a much needed football kit.
Site Manager Franc Parziale was presented with various Thank you gifts from Winstanley School staff and pupils.
Apprentices 2011
The company is committed to the training and development of its workforce and currently employs 8 apprentices across all regions.
Every year the company commits to employing further apprentices in the joinery and carpentry trades working alongside local colleges and Construction Skills.
Joining us in September 2011 was;
Olivia Bradley – Joinery – York Region (as pictured)
Jack Cook – Joinery – Manchester Region
Harry Hargreaves – Joinery – Blackpool Region
To further encourage our Apprentices we hold an “Apprentice of the Year Award” annually, the selection is based upon College feedback, Site Manager feedback and colleagues comments. This year’s winner was given a new laptop to help him further his studies, with all other apprentices given a £30 tool voucher.
Parkinson Fylde Supplier Day
On Thursday 22nd September the company held its annual Fylde Supplier Day at the Parkside Stand at Fleetwood Town FC.
The Parkside Stand is one of three recent projects the company has undertaken in Fleetwood, of which many of the attendees at the event helped to create.
The important local event was aimed to provide attendees with a brief overview of what projects the company is are currently undertaking, what the future holds and how we can help each other moving forward within the industry.
The event was well attended by over 45 companies whose offices are located on the Fylde Coast and has generated some great, positive feedback, see below;
“I very much enjoyed the event, & especially the opportunity to hear first hand, the very clear message being sent to your supply chain.”
“I would like to say thank you for such an excellent event in which You and your team delivered a most impressive message i.e. you care about this area and want to support the local chain.”
“Thanks for inviting us and we look forward to being part of your future success.”
“Very useful informative event and good to see a high turn out. Well organised and good venue.”
“Excellent presentation and interesting insight into developments in Blackpool.”
“Very informative event, well organised. Interesting to hear of the social responsibilities that the company undertakes.”
“Found it very interesting and informative, thank you for the invite”.
Lord Mayor re-opens the Arndale Bridge
The company has recently completed the refurbishment of Manchester’s iconic Corporation Street bridge. The bridge, which links the Arndale with Selfridges and Marks and Spencer, was encased in scaffolding while repair work – including replacing huge glass panels – was carried out over the summer.
The picture shows Lord Major, Harry Lyons officially reopening the bridge.
Picture From Left: Mark Higgins (Arndale Centre Operations Manager), Steve Williamson (F Parkinson Regional Director), Glen Barkworth (Arndale Centre General Manager), Lord Mayor Harry Lyons and David Leigh (F Parkinson Site Manager)
Students get ‘hands-on’ experience at local sites
We provided work experience placements for 2 students from Montgomery High School who were interested in a career within the construction industry.
The two students were mentored and accompanied on site by Parkinson Joiners who demonstrated and taught them how to undertake various joinery tasks.
Joshua Crowe was mentored at the multi-million Fleetwood Primary Care Centre project while his peer, Austin Aldred was busy onsite at the Ponden Mill refurbishment in Blackpool Town Centre.
Construction Students visit the Tower Headland Building
Year 10 students who are interested in a career in construction attended a site visit to the Festival Headland Building on the 5th and 6th of July.
The event was organised by the Western Skills Centre in conjunction with Blackpool Council and the four schools from Wigan which attended.
The format of the day consisted of the students visiting the new tram depot, the Comedy Carpet and the Festival Headland Building.
Students were given a brief site tour before having a presentation on the project by the Site Manager, Steve Bather. Steve explained the construction process, materials used on site and gave handouts with CGI images of how the building will look once completed.
Steve Williamson appointed as Regional Director
Steve Williamson has been appointed to the position of Regional Director for the Manchester region. Steve has taken his position with immediate effect from his former role of Regional Manager.
Steve has made a significant contribution to the company and has secured a strong professional relationship with a number of public sector and private clients, which has strengthened our presence in the region.
Insect Homes Constructed at Newall Green
Insect Homes, which provides a natural habitat for ladybirds and other insects in winter, were recently constructed and installed at Newall Green High School where we have just completed the construction of a single storey extension located over an existing pond and linked to the main school building, project value £842k, client Manchester City Council.
The new extension is a dedicated learning area for children with Specialist Educational Needs (SEN).
The Insect Homes were made from wood remnants off another project, St Catherine’s Hospice, where we are currently on site undertaking a number of phases to upgrade and refurbish the Hospice totaling in excess of £3 million.
The company has had an onsite presence over a number of years and has assisted in several fundraising events for the Hospice such as Moonlight Marathon walk, Fire Walking and Go Ape.
The Insect Homes fulfills part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility commitment to leave a lasting legacy as well as assisting St Catherine’s Hospice in their carbon footprint.
Isla says ‘Thanks’
Company mascot, Isla Be Safe congratulated David Turner and Chris Mitchell for winning the mascot naming competition.
Both winners were presented with gift vouchers of their choice.
Stockton-on-Tees Library Refurbishment – Phase 1 complete!
Fleetwood Town FC’s Hospitality Suite opens for business!
The new plush hospitality suite, executive boxes and most of the seating area at Fleetwood Town FC Highbury Stadium were open for business on Saturday’s game against Altrincham.
The 1,800-seater Parkside Suite was officially unveiled before the game. The suite will not just be open on match days but will also be available for weddings and businesses to hire.
The first floor of office space and ground floor, containing changing rooms and community facilities will be open at a later date.
Introducing…. Isla Be Safe
Isla Be Safe is company’s safety mascot.
Her first outing was to Hardy Mill Primary School in Bolton where she took part in an assembly teaching the school pupils and staff of the dangers of a construction site.
Isla will attend various corporate social responsibility events highlighting the importance of health and safety on site.
Parkinson is now a member of the Lancashire Business Environment Association
The company is proud to announce that we are now members of the Lancashire Business Environment Association.
This membership illustrates the company’s continuing commitment to improving environmental practices for the benefit of business, community and the environment.