Oldham apprentices take the lead

May 23, 2014

Emanuel Whittaker apprentices have become the first in the country to enrol on a new qualification to support the construction industry.

The External Wall Insulation (NVQ Level 3) has been launched by North West based regeneration consortium Procure Plus which has worked with Trinity Business Training Group, representatives from housing provider Salix Homes and the awarding body, GQA, to develop the criteria for the qualification before receiving approval from Ofqual.

Apprentices Matt Casey, 22, and Rachel Howarth, 24, have been employed by Emanuel Whittaker for several years and according to Lee Bradbury, Health, Safety and Environment Manager for the company, both are great representatives of our award winning apprenticeship scheme.

“Rachel and Matt are passionate about their work and have always been committed to their training,” he said.  “We are thrilled they are the first in the country to take advantage of this qualification which meets industry demand for the supply of insulation that reduces carbon emissions.  The qualification will play a significant part in their career progression.”

Matt and Rachel have already completed Level 1 and 2 of the qualification and have been honing their skills on tower blocks across Salford with social housing provider Salix Homes as part of its multi-million pound Decent Homes improvement programme.

Colin Goodall, investment delivery manager at Salix Homes (pictured back right), said: “We are carrying out major refurbishments at our tower blocks, but we initially found there was a real skills shortage and we struggled to find tradesman who were qualified in external wall insulation, which is essential to make people’s homes energy efficient.

“We worked with our partners to launch this new qualification and generate a workforce of home-grown talent who could deliver this specialist skill. Matt and Rachel were among the first cohort of apprentices and I’m delighted they are now making history and going on to complete the next level of this much-needed qualification.”

The scheme is expected to be rolled out nationally due to demand from contractors and training providers for higher level insulation qualifications.

Mark Wilson (pictured front middle) is responsible for apprentice and trainee development at Procure Plus.  He said:  “It is a true achievement to have created this new qualification in partnership with our members that will support the construction industry as well as develop new career opportunities for qualified operatives in the construction sector.”

Emanuel Whittaker has a pool of apprentices engaged through its relationship with Procure Plus and has won several awards because of its commitment to training young people.  In its 175 year history the company has supported over 700 apprentices.

First in the Country for NVQ L3 in Insulation and Building Treatments

Apr 25, 2014

Emanuel Whittaker joined forces with procurement framework partners Procure Plus and RP Client Salix Homes to bring a brand new NVQ3 in Insulation & Building Treatments to Salford City College.

The trio of like-minded organisations recognised the need for the skill when Salix Homes embarked on its ambitious multi storey tower block refurbishment programme. During it’s first project at Black Friar Court, it became apparent that there was very little home grown talent to deliver this specialist skill.  With several blocks to insulate to provide greater energy efficiency, the only option appeared to be offering the work to specialist companies who employed European workers, which did little for the local economy.

Identifying the need, Salix Homes, Procure Plus and Emanuel Whittaker were fundamental in bringing the Level 2 NVQ in Insulation & Building Treatments to Salford City College just two years ago. Emanuel Whittaker recruited two local Apprentices to undergo the new course. Matt Casey and Rachel Howarth both breezed through the course, but with no follow up NVQ, their futures looked uncertain.

So the work with Salford City College continued for a further year to develop the Level 3 NVQ. The new course was launched this month at Salford City College’s “Future Skills Centre”, making the college the first in the country to offer the course.

Emanuel Whittaker give community centre a facelift

Feb 10, 2014

Emanuel Whittaker is renowned for its work in the community and so when our client City West Housing Trust was looking for help to spruce up a local community centre, they approached us for help.

Terry Kidman, Contracts Manager, said:  “Our team were already working on the Brookhouse Estate in Eccles refurbishing City West properties and so we were happy to provide assistance to the local community.  The first thing we had to do was to assess just what needed to be done.”

The Brookhouse Community Centre is owned by City West and is the venue for numerous community activities – many of them theatrical.

The kitchen and toilets in particular had seen better days.

“We took out the old kitchen units and replaced them with new ones which were kindly donated by Manhattan Kitchens,” said Terry.  “We also decided to utilise a ‘dead’ space near the kitchen and put in cupboards and units to provide extra storage facilities and more room for food preparation. In the toilets we provided new flooring and repainted them which really made a difference.”

The £6,500 facelift was completed within a week and with minimum fuss or disruption to the numerous activities that take place within the Centre.

Fiona Canavan who regularly attends the Centre said:  “We were so pleased that Emanuel Whittaker was able to help.

“The Centre is a much loved and well used community resource and as a result it was looking a little tired.  Now the renovated kitchen and toilets look as good as new and will no doubt last us for many years to come.”

Martyn Hague, Head of Communities and Neighbourhoods at City West, said: “The community centre is a focal point for customers in the area and we are delighted Emanuel Whittaker were able to help with the improvement works.

“The feedback from our customers has been fantastic and we hope they can continue to enjoy the many events that bring the community together.”

Emanuel Whittaker raise funds for Holly’s Heart

Feb 6, 2014

The Children’s Heart Surgery Fund at Leeds General Hospital is looking £2414 fatter thanks to the generosity of Emanuel Whittaker and our partner suppliers and sub contractors.

Emanuel Whittaker has recently given its support to a Charity Golf Day to raise monies for this fund which is very dear to the heart of Health, Safety & Environment Manager, Lee Bradbury, whose daughter Holly has been receiving treatment at the unit since she was born.

Lee and his family live in Greenfield and Holly was born with a Ventricular Septal Defect with Double Outlet Right Ventricle, a congenital heart defect, which means she has very little wall between the two pumping chambers of her heart.

Lee said:  “Holly’s condition would have continuously deteriorated with breathing getting harder and Holly at risk of heart attack or failure. Her prognosis was that without immediate corrective surgery, she would only live until she was six or seven years old and as a result we agreed to Holly having several major operations, when she was four months old, two and six, and obviously each one was very worrying for all of us.”

“Everyone at the Fund is immensely grateful for the monies which help to provide specialist equipment for the Paediatric Heart Unit at Leeds General Infirmary, and make life in hospital easier for the children that stay there.  This includes providing play room toys, DVDS, games, iPod and TVs.”

It’s good news for Holly who, thanks to her operations, can now look forward to a normal life.

“Thanks to the work and dedication of everyone at the hospital, Holly has a future,” said Lee. “She will never be able to win a race but at least she has the energy to take part now!  The generosity of the supporters of the Emanuel Whittaker Charity Golf Day means that other children will be able to enjoy the same great support that we did.”

Residents get an extra helping hand during Property Maintenance Week

Nov 27, 2013

Emanuel Whittaker has been using National Property Maintenance Week as the perfect excuse to carry out numerous small jobs for residents and provide general property advice.

Contracts Director John Gallagher said: “We are already renowned for our customer service and we thought we would really push the boat out during Property Maintenance Week.  Our on site teams have responded very generously to our appeal to help out residents in need.”

The company’s teams team carried out dozens of jobs such as re-hanging an internal door for a Rochdale Boroughwide Housing resident,  putting up new window blinds for a City West Housing resident, re-setting a Salix Homes resident’s boiler,  hanging winter flower baskets for a Contour Homes resident and a challenge for a Your Housing Group tenant which involved a whole team across several hours.

John said:  “Mrs Hannah Igo is 84 and has arthritis which greatly affects her mobility. Her husband who looked after the garden died 10 years ago however, the decking and gazebo which he had built  had fallen into such a state of disrepair it had become too dangerous to walk on.

“Mrs Igo casually mentioned to the team how she avoided going into the garden because of the slippery decking and so a team completely removed the decking and gazebo frame to provide her with safe access to the garden again.

“Needless to say Mrs Igo was absolutely thrilled with our team’s good deed and was really moved by the fact we had taken the time to do it.”

In addition to the practical jobs, Emanuel Whittaker staff also provided advice on common winter weather problems such as condensation and locating the stoptap in case of frozen pipes.

John adds: “It was good to help out so many residents and we also reminded them about property maintenance issues that were their own, rather than their landlord’s responsibility. The feedback we received from residents were great and everyone involved feels a great sense of satisfaction.”