Emanuel Whitaker opens Salford training centre as part of multi-million pound contract wins with Salix Homes
Sep 2, 2015
Pictured from left: Emanuel Whittaker Contracts Director John Gallgher; Salix Homes Head of Property Service Mark Foster; Executive Director of Operations Sue Sutton; Emanuel Whittaker Contracts Manager Terry Kidman and Partnerships Manager Rukhsana Nabi
Emanuel Whittaker has established an apprentice training centre as part of its new depot in Salford.
Emanuel Whittaker has established the new depot on Missouri Avenue in Weaste to support long-term contract wins in the city, and has created the training facility to help boost local employment opportunities though its work with housing provider Salix Homes.
“Having secured continuity of work in Salford we wanted to demonstrate our commitment to the area. The new office will help us to create sustainable employment, source local suppliers and subcontractors and use local services,” said managing director, Clive Newton.
Emanuel Whittaker works with social landlords across the North West to refurbish their housing stock, and was recently awarded a contract worth over £7 million by Salix Homes to help deliver its £22 million improvement programme to homes across the city over the next two years.
Mark Foster, head of investment at Salix Homes, said: “Emanuel Whittaker is a main partner in our investment programme and has already played a significant role in the first phase of our modernisation plans for our housing stock. Having them based closer to the areas where we work will help us to deliver value for money. We are particularly excited about the new training facilities, which will allow us and other Salford-based partners more opportunities to work with young people and apprentices.”
As well as the training centre, the Salford office will provide meeting space for local teams and a huge warehouse which will take deliveries of stock to allow for more cost and resource savings.
Other partners who will benefit from the new office facilities will include Salford based housing providers Contour Homes and City West Housing Trust as well as Trafford based regeneration consortium Procure Plus.
Mark Wilson, regeneration manager at Procure Plus, said: “It’s great to see our framework partners offering employment support in the local communities we operate in. As a regeneration consortium, it is vital that we continue to assist the creation of training opportunities within our local areas to sustain long term employment and revitalise the community.”
Emanuel Whittaker director John Gallagher added: “This is a new and exciting phase in the growth of our business and continues our commitment to enhancing social value contribution in the areas where we work. We currently recruiting three full time staff and we anticipate more vacancies will be available in the future.”
We’ve got Gold!
Jun 30, 2015
Emanuel Whittaker has been awarded the prestigious Investors in People Gold standard, joining the top 7% of accredited organisations across the UK who believe in realising the potential of their people
Managing Director, Clive Newton said: “We have successfully completed a demanding assessment process across several days. As well as looking at our administration and operating systems, the process included interviews with myself, senior managers, office staff and site staff from every rank.
“The company scored 186 out of 196 and I am so proud of all our people who work to the same high standards day in, day out. This gold award is a tribute to how the company is managed at all levels and reflects on the positive ethos and attitude of our employees.”
Investors in People is a management framework for high performance through people. Its prestigious accreditation is recognised across the world as a mark of excellence and it champions best practice in people management determined via a rigorous and objective assessment to determine performance.
Susan Holt, the assessor from Investors in People said: “Emanuel Whittaker achieved its goals through its positive and consistent people practices. Everyone is valued for their contribution and the sense of team along with the commitment to business goals is strong across all roles. It was a privilege to share in the company’s positive culture and be involved in their achievement of Gold.”
This new gold standard will join the company’s other quality accreditations which include Committed2Equality (gold), Construction Skills (Platinum), EN ISO 14001:2004 and ISO9001:2008.
Human Resource Manager Anna Whittaker was responsible for leading the Investors in People process. “We are absolutely delighted with this recognition,” she said. “The gold standard will ensure we maintain and recruit great staff and will also demonstrate to our existing and new clients that we have the best people working at Emanuel Whittaker.”
Salford church celebrates new kitchen
May 10, 2015
Emanuel Whittaker and Salix Homes have come to the rescue of a cash-strapped Salford church.Salix Homes teamed up with Emanuel Whittaker to upgrade the old kitchen facilities at St James’ Church community hall on Eccles Old Road in Weaste.
The church hall is a well-used facility for local groups, but was in desperate need of a modern kitchen.
Church warden Trevor Palmer said: “The hall is regularly used by local community groups including brownies, guides and a dance group, but we felt we could accommodate many more if we had a modern kitchen.
“We’re very grateful to Salix Homes and Emanuel Whittaker for coming to our aid. The new kitchen facilities are fantastic and will be of real benefit to the whole community.”
Last month (April) Emanuel Whittaker began improvement work on 230 properties on the nearby Tootal Estate in Weaste after being appointed by Salix Homes to help deliver their ambitious two year investment programme, which will see 2,200 homes across Salford undergo £22m of much needed improvements including new kitchens, bathrooms, windows and doors.
Mark Foster, head of investment at Salix Homes, said: “Salix Homes is committed to supporting the communities where we are delivering our home improvement schemes and working with our partner contractors to improve local facilities.
“When we heard that the church needed some assistance we were more than happy to ask our contractors Emanuel Whittaker to carry out the work. St James’ Church community hall is an excellent community resource and we hope their new kitchen facilities will make a huge difference for residents.”
Emanuel Whittaker worked alongside sub-contractors Rixonway Kitchens, Moffat and Riley Heating Services and RMS Electrical Services Ltd to rip out the old bar area and carry out the kitchen upgrade which is worth around £5,000. Appliances were purchased with a grant from the Big Lottery.
Paul Robinson, site manager for Emanuel Whittaker, who was the project manager, said: “It’s nice to know that we have been able to provide a long lasting community legacy for the Claremont and Weaste community and all of us involved were delighted to have been able to help.”
All the companies involved in the project are part of the Procure Plus Framework, a social housing provider framework service, and share a common goal to invest in communities to create value and support appropriate legacy projects
A special service was held on Wednesday, May 6 to celebrate the opening of the new kitchen facilities and Emanuel Whittaker unveiled a plaque to commemorate the project.
Like father, like son
Mar 6, 2015
It’s National Apprenticeship Week this week and as usual we are celebrating our commitment to training young people with a variety of initiatives including talking to our youngest apprentice, 16 year old Josh Rose about his experiences.
Josh lives in New Moston and attended Oasis Academy, Oldham where he left with five grade B GCSEs. Despite his academic success however, he didn’t want to go to college and instead decided to follow in his dad’s footstep to become a joiner.
“I knew I wanted to be a joiner when I was ten,” said Josh. “My dad would sometimes take me to work with him and I really enjoyed watching him.”
And Josh has not only followed in his dad’s career footsteps but also in his training footsteps because dad Jonathan also learned his trade as an apprentice with Emanuel Whittaker!
“The company came to our school to talk to us about apprenticeships,” said Jonathan, “and a week after leaving school I started with them. I was 15 when I started my City and Guilds in joinery.”
In fact Jonathan liked Emanuel Whittaker so much he remained with the company for 16 years. He was keen that Josh try to get an apprenticeship with the company he believes can’t be beaten when it comes to training.
He adds: “My time with Emanuel Whittaker was fabulous and I look back with great fondness. The company had a reputation then for being one of the best places to do an apprenticeship and that reputation is just as deserved today. I was thrilled when Josh got a place.”
Josh is currently learning his craft on a project with First Choice Homes Oldham where he works with an expert team installing new kitchens.
“I am a hands on type of person and so a full time college course didn’t really appeal to me,” said Josh. “I am getting so many different experiences working in the real world which I think is important. It’s lovely to see how the tenants, the customers, appreciate their new kitchens and I am working with a great team who have made me feel very welcome.”
Josh goes to Oldham College every Monday to fulfil the theoretical side of his apprenticeship and develop his new skills. He hopes to have a basic carpentry and joiner qualification in two years and then may decide to take advanced skills.
“I think apprenticeships are a great idea,” said Josh. “I am being paid to learn and I am mixing with lots of different people, colleagues and customers. I am learning a useful skill and I am confident that I will get a full time job when I have finished.”
Government figures show that 90% of apprentices stay in employment after finishing their apprenticeship and 83% said their ability to do the job and their career prospects had improved. Emanuel Whittaker is proud of the fact that the majority of its apprentices are employed full time either in house or with one of our approved sub-contractor partners.
Last year, Emanuel Whittaker made The Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers List which is compiled annually by the National Apprenticeship Service in partnership with City & Guilds. It recognises excellence in those businesses that employ apprentices and that can prove an exceptional contribution to apprenticeships. We will continue our commitment to training young people for many years to come.
To find out more about the benefits of apprenticeships go to www.apprenticeships.gov.uk
Emanuel Whittaker Annual Golf Day Raises £2000 for DR Kershaws Hospice
Aug 22, 2014Emanuel Whittaker’s recent charity golf day has raised over £2,000 for Dr Kershaws Hospice.
From left:Clive Newton (Managing Director – Emanuel Whittaker Ltd); Simon Marsh (Avonside Group Limited); John Gallagher (Contracts Director – Emanuel Whittaker Ltd); Paul Duff (Avonside Group Limited); Rob Gillespie (Avonside Group Limited); Chris Gillespie (Avonside Group Limited)
Emanuel Whittaker Facilities Manager Phil Peacock and Contracts Administrator Sandra Newton organised the day. Phil said: “We would like to pass on our huge thanks to everyone who supported this event, especially our sponsors who were predominantly subcontractors and suppliers from Oldham and the surrounding area.”
Ten teams of four players joined in the fun at Saddleworth Golf Club and the day was won by Heywood based Avonside Group Limited
Phil added: “It was a great day for everyone involved and thankfully the weather held out. Both players and sponsors have been incredibly generous with their time and money and even found extra cash to add to the evening raffle.”
The Emanuel Whittaker Golf Day was first held in 2012 as part of the company’s 175 anniversary year celebrations. It was so successful the company have made it an annual event and if you are interested in supporting the event in 2015 get in touch @emanuel_whittak