Platform Housing Group and Stonewater Ltd teamed up with Orphans Press to create a ‘happy to chat’ bench within the communal garden at Newman House in Leominster as well as tidying up the area to provide a better environment and peaceful retreat for the residents to enjoy. 

The initiative came about as part of a 150^th birthday celebration; Orphans Press – a print, publishing, design and web agency based in the town – was established in 1873 to support the Leominster Orphan Homes, founded in 1869 and located at Newman House until its closure in 1951.  The home housed 18 destitute children from industrialised parts of the country who had been orphaned.  Henry Stanley Newman – founder of the Leominster Orphan Homes and Orphans Press – was determined to make sure that the children felt at home there, providing access to education, training and religious teachings. 

The event also included the planting of a ceremonial apple tree. 

Helen Bowden, Director at Orphans Press explained: “We discovered that there used to be an orchard in the garden at Newman House where the children used to pick apples.  We decided to commemorate Henry Stanley Newman by planting an apple tree where the orchard used to be.” 

Newman House is run by Stonewater Ltd; since March 2022, Platform Housing Group has been undertaking repairs on Stonewater homes in the Herefordshire area. 

Matthew Stock, Grounds Maintenance Delivery Manager at Platform Housing Group said : “We were absolutely delighted to be approached by Orphans Press to undertake such a fabulous project on behalf of Stonewater.  The history behind the home is fascinating and being involved with it has really brought it all to life.  We hope the residents of Newman House will enjoy their new bench amidst the beautiful grounds.” 

Helen Holland, Connected Communities Peer Leader, Neighbourhoods, at Stonewater, said: “We’re so thrilled that Stonewater can be part of such a positive and essential initiative.  We understand how necessary it can be for people to be able to chat to others, especially given the difficulties we’ve all faced over the last few years.  We’re glad to be able to help strengthen the sense of community among new and future residents.” 

Helen Bowden concluded : “Newman House is such an important part of the history of both Orphans Press and Leominster.  We felt it was important to do something really special for our 150^th birthday and collaborating with Platform and Stonewater to transform the grounds at Newman House was the perfect way to commemorate Henry Newman and give back to the residents.” 

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Selco Builders Warehouse, one of the UK’s leading builders merchants, has launched its ‘Growing Grassroots’ campaign in conjunction with the Rugby Football League (RFL), of which it is an official partner.

Any grassroots rugby league club is entitled to enter the competition for the chance to win a top prize of £2,000 worth of building materials, a visit to the club from England players and tickets to one of the national team’s Autumn Series internationals against Tonga.

Clubs must explain in no more than 100 words how the £2,000 donation would benefit them and entries can be made at https://www.selcobw.com/info/growing-grassroots-rugby-league-competition

Carine Jessamine, marketing director of Selco Builders Warehouse, said: “We have a long and proud record of supporting the sport of rugby league over the last decade.

“We’ve backed a number of different professional clubs, including Salford Red Devils currently, are supporting the national team through the RFL and were an official partner of the Rugby League World Cup last year.

“Throughout our time being involved in rugby league, we have always looked at different ways we can support local clubs because they are the lifeblood of the sport.

“Our Growing Grassroots campaign is designed to help a local rugby league club which does outstanding work in its local community carry out vital work to its playing or training facilities.

“Each of our branches has thousands of products under one roof so, whatever the needs of the club, we will be able to supply the materials to get the job done.

“We know money is tight across all amateur sports so we have no doubt there are many clubs across the country for which this prize would make a huge difference to the way it operates, both now and in the future.”

Bobby Bahadori, head of partnerships for Rugby League Commercial, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for grassroots clubs and typifies Selco’s commitment to supporting rugby league at all levels.

“An injection of £2,000 into a grassroots club will create opportunities for vital work to be done which, without this funding, may otherwise be left to go into a state of disrepair.

“With the England player visit and tickets to one of the big games against Tonga included in the prize, it’s a fantastic all-round package for a grassroots club to win.”

With hundreds of trade brands always in stock, Selco’s 75 UK branches are firmly focused on helping tradespeople complete their jobs as quickly and effectively as possible.

As well as offering trade services, Selco also has a strong digital presence including Click & Deliver and Click & Collect services and a new app – as well as a ‘Dial & Deliver’ telephone service – to make life as convenient as possible for tradespeople.

For more information on Selco visit www.selcobw.com

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HS2 is asking for members of the public, living in Ealing, Brent and beyond, to help us chose names for the next two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) that will dig HS2 tunnels under the capital.

In early 2024, HS2 will launch the two machines that will construct the Northolt Tunnel East travelling through Brent and Ealing. The TBMs will set off towards Greenpark Way in Greenford, travelling 3.4miles from HS2’s Victoria Road site, near to new Old Oak Common station.

Before the TBMs set off, they are given names. As per convention, they will be named after influential women and HS2 is asking the public to vote for two names from a shortlist of five with connections to Ealing. TBM naming helps communities remember and celebrate great local woman from all walks of life.

The names on the shortlist are:

• Amy Barbour-James (1906 -1988) – Amy was born in Acton to Guyanese parents and was active in the civil rights movement. She was involved in the African Progress Unionand the League of Coloured Peoples, becoming secretary of the latter in 1942.
• Lady Anne Byron (1792 – 1860) – Lady Byron was an educational reformer and philanthropist. In 1834 she established the Ealing Grove School – the first school for the working classes, in an era when education was mainly for the wealthy.
• Brigid Brophy (1929 – 1995) – Ealing born Brigid was a British writer and campaigner whose work focused on social reform, homosexual parity, animal rights and humanism. She helped establish the Public Lending Right, allowing authors to claim a payment every time their book was borrowed from a public library.
• Emily Sophia Taylor (1872 – 1956) – Emily was a midwife, providing services for women who could not afford care, and became Ealing’s first female mayor in 1938. She was an active member of the Education Committee and the Child Welfare Committee and helped establish the Perivale Maternity Hospital in 1937.
• Susan Mary Smee (1859 – 1949) – Susan became Acton’s first female mayor in 1924, the first Justice of Peace and the first curator of Gunnersbury Park Museum. She is described as a pioneer who helped other women to follow her example.

The selected names will be displayed on the side of the TBMs which are to be lowered into a shaft ready to tunnel in the Autumn. Before launch, there will be a ceremony to bless the TBMs featuring a statue of St Barabara, the patron saint of tunnelling, conducted by a local priest.

Speaking about the naming, HS2’s Head of Community Engagement, Maddelyn Sutton, said:

“As HS2 construction begins to reach its peak, we are preparing to launch our next duo of tunnel boring machines in London. Giving the TBMs names with local connections is a great way for us to celebrate the achievements of women and for the local community to get involved in this once in a generation infrastructure project.”  

Both TBMs are170 metres long and over 1,700 tonnes in weight. They will be operated by HS2’s main works civils contractor building the London Tunnels, Skanska Costain STRABAG Joint Venture.

The tunnel they are building will be 8.4miles in total, stretching from Old Oak Common station to West Ruislip. The other 5miles of the tunnel is under construction with two further TBMs, Sushila and Caroline, already one mile into their journey.

More information on HS2’s TBM naming can be found here and more information can be found on HS2 at https://www.hs2.org.uk/. The voting is open from Monday 21^st August until Monday 4^th September 2023.

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Clegg Group was founded in Nottingham Road, Ilkeston, in Derbyshire, in 1932 – as D.E. Clegg & Co Ltd.
After sustained growth, the company relocated to The Lace Market in Nottingham in 1998 and is this year celebrating being in the city for 25 years, operating as both design and build contractor (Clegg Construction Ltd) and food sector specialists (Clegg Food Projects Ltd).

On Nottinghamshire Day (25th August), Clegg Group is reflecting on the way it has helped to shape the city and the county, and the links the company has built with a range of good causes and charities in the area.

Key projects delivered by Clegg Construction include the £27m River Crescent apartment development, which is at the forefront of the Trentside regeneration, Center Parcs’ highly sustainable offices and headquarters, situated within Sherwood Energy Village, two state-of-the-art stands (Bridgford Road and Fox Road), floodlights and an electronic scorecard for Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club at Trent Bridge, plus a first-class training facility created for Nottingham Forest Football Club.

Clegg has developed multiple projects with the city’s universities and also local schools. Its partnership with the University of Nottingham began in 2000 with an extension to the East Midlands Conference Centre and the company is currently on site modernising the university’s historic Florence Boot Hall building – a project that was highly commended in the East Midlands Energy Efficiency Awards.

Clegg also delivered the University of Nottingham’s Energy Technology Building – which was awarded the country’s first BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ rating for an educational building – plus the RIBA Award-winning, BREEAM Excellent Lyth Building recently completed for Nottingham Trent University, as well as a sixth form centre for Rushcliffe Academy in West Bridgford, Victoria House student accommodation in the city centre, and a 191-bed student accommodation scheme on Nottingham Trent University’s Brackenhurst Campus.

The company is currently on site at Carlton le Willows Academy.

In addition, Clegg Food Projects, which designs and builds specialist manufacturing facilities nationally, has delivered a wide range of schemes in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire over the years, including multiple projects at Pork Farms, including factory extensions, three developments at Northern Foods in Bulwell, including a pizza factory, two projects at Freshcut Foods, plus two schemes at Riverside Bakery, which included a food factory extension and office refurbishment.

Clegg Construction Pre-Construction Director, Ross Crowcroft, said: “Clegg Group has a long history in the East Midlands, having been founded more than 90 years ago in Derbyshire.

“Today, on Nottinghamshire Day, it’s fitting that we celebrate and look back on the 25 years that we have been based in Nottingham. We are immensely proud of the role we have played in the community – helping to shape the city and the county, and supporting a number of good causes.”

In 1998, following almost 70 years of being based in Derbyshire, Clegg (then known as D.E. Clegg) made the decision to switch counties, with the company’s 23-strong employee base packing up the office and moving to Nottingham’s vibrant and historic lace market – based at the Grade II listed Bishops House building, which overlooks St Mary’s Church – the oldest parish church in Nottinghamshire. Coincidently, Clegg had refurbished the building some years previously.

Clegg Construction PA Julie Dallison is one of a handful of employees who have been with the company since it was based in Ilkeston.

She said: “Clegg has grown considerably in the years that I have worked for the business, and it’s been great to have shared several significant milestones in the company’s history, including our move to Nottingham 25 years ago and the subsequent growth that has been achieved. Nottinghamshire continues to offer us a wealth of opportunities and we are proud to be a key member of the construction and development sector here. It’s also been a privilege to work in such a beautiful setting in the Lace Market, in the heart of the city.”

Clegg Group, which had a joint turnover of more than £165m in 2022, is an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) company which ranked 34th in the Nottinghamshire Top 200 list last year. Focusing on repeat business it continues to work with some of the world’s largest companies.

During its long history, it has built strong relationships with charities and social enterprises and to mark its 25th anniversary of being in Nottingham is supporting 25 good causes including continued sponsorship of Erewash Partnership, participation in EDGE’s and SCAPE’s charity football matches, and collections for Peterborough and Maltby foodbanks. Clegg representatives have also taken part in two careers days at South Notts Academy and have supported numerous local and national charities such as Emmanuel House Support Centre, Nottingham Children’s Hospital, The Salvation Army, Prostate Cancer UK, and Crohn’s & Colitis UK. In addition, the Clegg Group supports Nightingale Primary School in Eastwood through the Greggs Breakfast Club, which provides a free, nutritional breakfast to children who need it, to ensure pupils are prepared for the day ahead.

Clegg Group is a privately owned company that has been delivering construction projects across a range of sectors for over 90 years.

Its services are provided through two principal operating companies – Clegg Construction and Clegg Food Projects – to offer specialist knowledge and experience as well as deliver a tailored service for clients.

For more information visit www.clegggroup.co.uk

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The findings also show 85% of councils across England are facing an increase in people experiencing homelessness – the highest number in any year since the annual research began.

London is the epicentre of the national homelessness emergency, accounting for well over half of all homeless households living in temporary accommodation in England (emergency housing provided by local authorities for homeless households).

London Councils’ own recent research revealed that one in 50 Londoners is now homeless and living in temporary accommodation arranged by their local borough, including one in 23 children.

Cllr Darren Rodwell, London Councils’ Executive Member for Regeneration, Housing & Planning, said:

 “The homelessness situation is fast-becoming disastrous and requires urgent action from the government at a national level.

“In London we face increasingly unmanageable pressures. It is utterly unsustainable to have one in 50 Londoners living in temporary accommodation. There is at least one homeless child in every London classroom – an appalling statistic showing the massive social impact of the worsening housing crisis.

“Ministers must work with councils and other partners across the housing and homelessness sectors to reverse these trends. There are at least 143,000 potential new homes we could begin building immediately in London if the government addressed the barriers to delivery, including by providing additional infrastructure and affordable housing grant funding.

“We cannot afford delay – this is an emergency situation needing an emergency response.”

London Councils estimates that almost 170,000 Londoners are now homeless and in temporary accommodation.

London Councils’ research shows the number of households entitled to homelessness support from a London borough (i.e. owed a homelessness prevention or relief duty) increased 15.2% between April 2022 and April 2023.

There has also been a dramatic 781% increase in homeless families placed in bed and breakfast accommodation beyond the legal six-week limit. This equates to 1,287 London families stuck in unsuitable B&B accommodation in April 2023 compared to 146 the same month last year.

Rising homelessness numbers are putting immense strain on boroughs’ finances. London Councils estimate that boroughs are collectively spending at least £60 million each month on temporary accommodation costs.

London Councils is urging the government to:

Raise Local Housing Allowance (LHA). LHA, which eligible households receive as part of their housing benefit or Universal Credit if they have a private landlord, has been frozen since 2020 despite private rents increasing since then. Boroughs believe LHA should be increased to cover at least 30% of local market rents – a policy the government adopted successfully at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Support councils to buy accommodation sold by private landlords. 40% of all homes listed for sale in London in 2022 were previously let by a private landlord. The government should build on initiatives such as the Local Authority Housing Fund by providing increased capital investment for housing acquisitions, particularly to acquire homes being sold by private landlords as they exit the market.

Boost Homelessness Prevention Grant funding. Local authorities play a vital role in supporting struggling households to avoid homelessness. Councils require an immediate emergency funding increase to ensure local services have the resources needed in the face of rising levels of demand for support.

Increase Discretionary Housing Payments. These payments are used by councils to help residents in financial crisis meet their housing costs. They are an essential homelessness prevention tool, but government funding for Discretionary Housing Payments in 2023-24 has been frozen at 2022-23 levels, despite significantly increasing homelessness pressures.Bring forward a cross-departmental strategy to reduce homelessness. Tackling homelessness must become a major priority at a national level with government departments working together – in addition to key partners such as local authorities – as effectively as possible.

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They wanted to move into a new home that would allow them to enjoy their life more and make the most of every day, and that meant one thing – choosing a newbuild. That led them to Davidsons Homes’ Grange View development in Lower Bardon, not far from Beena’s job as a dental assistant in Leicester.

Viral, a senior category manager for an automotive parts company, said: “Between Beena and I, we had an extensive checklist for our perfect home. We knew it had to be a three-bedroom detached house with a driveway and a garage, and we particularly wanted a corner plot to give us plenty of space.”

Beena added: “There were smaller, yet important, details too – like a built-in microwave at eye-level in the kitchen, a utility room, good lighting and good windows, and spacious rooms too. We looked around lots of new homes developments in the Nuneaton and Leicester areas, but although some ticked some of the boxes, none of them ticked all.

“That was until we visited the three-bedroom Ford at Davidsons Homes’ Lower Bardon development. There wasn’t a single box it didn’t tick. In fact, we loved it so much that we reserved it there and then.”

As they already owned a property, Viral and Beena used Davidsons’ Part Exchange scheme to sell their existing property and buy their new Ford.

Viral said: “The Part Exchange process couldn’t have been easier – in fact, as our home was ready to move into, from seeing it to moving in took just five weeks. It was very smooth and we really didn’t have a single issue. Every step of the way we were communicated with, and even Davidsons’ recommended solicitors were brilliant to work with.”

Asked what they particularly like about their new home, Beena said: “As we’re on a corner plot, we have green space right around our house. In fact, my favourite part of the house is the kitchen as it opens right up onto the side garden, so we both love sitting in that room and enjoying the views outside.

“We’re also not too far from a lovely area of green open space on the development itself, so we really enjoy walking there, and a little further afield too.”

Viral added: “We’re quite near the outskirts of Grange View which is nice as we’re just a short way from pretty countryside walks. It’s perfect too as we are off a cul-de-sac which means that it’s very quiet but we have got to know our neighbours really well already. We really like everyone, and it definitely feels like a community has formed already.

“The customer service at Davidsons Homes has been very good, we’d recommend them to anyone. Our Sales Manager Amber has also been great, she’s guided us through the process really well and kept us updated every step of the way.

“Having lived in a newbuild before, we’re looking forward to lower energy bills this winter, along with no maintenance and repair costs! From our initial reason for moving – to enjoy our lives more and spend less time worrying about our house and more time doing things that we love – we definitely feel that we’re doing that here at Grange View.” For more information, visit davidsonshomes.co.uk

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The Pavilion at Landmark Pinnacle, Canary Wharf

Part of a much larger scale project which includes the UK’s highest tropical garden, the Pavilion at Landmark Pinnacle is the work of Gillespies, Valley Provincial and Farrer Huxley. The green roof which swoops over the ground level commercial space at the foot of the 75-storey skyscraper, will provide much needed green space for those that live and work in the locality.  Whilst residents of Landmarks Pinnacle will have access to two sky gardens, this pavilion has been created for the wider community as a place to promote healthy, active and social living.  Sloped to the ground level the space is accessible to all. 

Zoned planting, which creates zigzagged walkways to a raised theatre-style seating arrangement at its highest point, has been supported by Boughton lightweight green roof substrates, Intensive IN 1 and the lightweight subsoil.

Boughton’s Intensive IN 1 was selected for its greater organic content and its ability to support larger plants and deeper planting depths. Not only this but IN 1 is perfect for schemes that optimise a more detailed and formalised planting scheme as that seen at the Pavilion, which allows for year-round colour and texture, an approach that has become Gillespies trademark at this project and has since gained them finalist status at the 2022 Landscape Institute Awards: Excellence in Horticulture and Planting Design category.

Joining the line-up was Boughton’s lightweight subsoil which created the perfect footprint for the application of Intensive IN 1.

Sheldon Square, Paddington

The Landmark Pinnacle project follows hot on the heels of the Sheldon Square project that also saw Boughton and Gillespies work together.

Located at the heart of Paddington Central, Sheldon Square is best known for its amphitheatre, where a range of activities take place every day. From lunch with colleagues and friends to a special location for live music and culture, Sheldon Square and its amphitheatre are much loved by those that live and work there.

In 2022 the area benefited from a makeover which saw improved facilities, better accessibility, a more dynamic performance space and a greener space added. New trees, sun-loving plants and over 40 colourful perennials were added to not only create a vibrant display but were chosen for their ability to reduce pollution, improve air quality and to increase biodiversity and climate change resilience.

Working with Gillespies, alongside main contractors, 8Build, and soft landscape contractor, Kingston Landscape Group, Boughton supplied over 80m3 of its ever-popular BLS 2 topsoil to site in bulk bags. Single-sourced, ‘as dug’ natural and screened, Boughton’s BLS 2 topsoil was specified for this project by Gillespies.

Battersea Power Station

Whilst not Boughton’s first large-scale project, Battersea Power Station certainly remains its most iconic.

Situated on a 39-acre site, the Grade II* listed former Power Station was subject to an incredible £9billion redevelopment project – one of the biggest schemes of this type anywhere in Europe.

It was within the scheme’s ‘Garden of Elements’ project that saw Boughton step-up, providing its green roof substrates to support the planting within this series of three garden spaces.

Positioned between the four chimneys that have become synonymous with the Battersea development, sits the ‘Garden of Elements’, which was designed by Andy Sturgeon and brought to life by six-times BALI Grand award-winners, Willerby Landscapes. Each garden is inspired by fire, water or air, harking back to the Power Station’s previous life. It is within these gardens, including the notable main podium garden ‘Boiler House Square’ that saw Boughton’s IN1 Intensive and Lightweight Green Roof Substrates, and Rootzone come into their own.

These garden spaces, full of cloud-like planting schemes are set within raised beds and tall grasses with vegetation designed to offer year-round interest with a mix of evergreens, Mediterranean and more exotic species. Boughton’s IN1 substrate was selected to support this scheme thanks to its ability to support larger plants and to be installed at depths from 100 – 500cm, thanks to its sandy texture. Additionally, Boughton’s IN1 substrate offers significant moisture retention qualities, making it the perfect choice when so many plants are vying for attention within this three-hectare site. IN1 from Boughton continues to meet and exceed all G.R.O guidelines.

Elsewhere Boughton’s Lightweight Substrate was used to provide growing media where weight loading for the green roof needed to be lighter than traditional green roof schemes. Finally, Rootzone completed the offering. Supplied as a ready-mixed solution, Rootzone provided better planting conditions throughout the scheme.

Product was supplied in both bulk bags and 25L bags, meaning the Boughton team had to go above and beyond to tackle the logistical challenges that delivering to a central location presented.

Talking during the construction of the horticulturally rich roof garden, Willerby Landscapes said: “Boughton were a pleasure to work with, being able to safely deliver the material to site despite the many logistical challenges that this prestigious, central London project posed. They supplied us with top quality substrates specifically approved by Tim O’Hare, as well as a service that’s hard to beat”. 

Find out more

To find out more about Boughton’s complete offering for the amenity, landscape and construction industries, please visit www.boughton.co.uk. To enquire about your next project, contact by calling (01536) 510515 or email sales@boughton.co.uk.

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Paul Phillips, 54, has had a hand in building hundreds of houses in Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire during his long career in construction, and recently had the opportunity to inspect someone else’s work when he was invited to a ‘pre-plaster’ visit as part of the Bellway homebuying process.

It was a chance to walk around the new house before it is finished and take a look at all the elements that make it function, such as the electric, gas and water services and the internal structure, before the rooms are completed and plastered.

And Paul, who has bought the property and will be moving in with his wife Debbie, 52, and son Harland, 21, was very pleased with what he saw.

Paul was shown around the house by Site Manager Shaun Keown and Sales Manager Adam Champion. 

Shaun explained the details about how the house was constructed during the walk-through with Paul.

“I thought the site manager was fantastic,” said Paul.  “He was very informative, and I have to say he has built me an exceptional property. I’m chuffed to bits with it, and I’m not green at this, I know what I’m looking for and I know a good property from a bad property.

“A lot of housebuilders don’t let you in before your home has been plastered. This is a novel idea to get your customers to know what their new house is all about.

“I know Bellway because I’m a bricklayer and I have worked for them in the past, and I know they build a good property.”

The house Paul has bought is a two-bedroom semi-detached Joiner, which features an open-plan kitchen/dining room with French doors leading out into the garden and a front-facing living room.

Paul and Debbie are downsizing, having sold their four-bedroom detached house just a mile away from their new home – a move that will leave them mortgage free.

They sold their old house for £250,000 and bought their new-build Bellway one for £194,950. That means that once they have used the difference to pay off the remaining £47,000 on their old place, they will have money left to pay for legal fees and to start landscaping the garden – and no mortgage to pay each month.

“It’s great,” said Paul. “It will be a good feeling; in fact, I’ve got that feeling now. It’s not just the mortgage either, but other things such as the mortgage protection insurance. Overall, it’s a saving of around £600 a month.”

And the couple are looking forward to enjoying the benefits of a smaller and more modern house in terms of energy efficiency and lower fuel bills. They also love the layout of the Joiner house style.

Paul said: “They have maximised every inch. I love how the stairs come into the living room. It’s nice and cosy and that’s what my wife and I want – a nice cosy house in a lovely area.

“We are used to having a four-bedroom property, but we will get used to having two bedrooms and at certain times in life you’ve got to make decisions for the future.

There’s currently a choice of two, three and four-bedroom houses available to reserve at Gateford Quarter, with prices starting from £194,950.

To find out more, visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/east-midlands/gateford-quarter or call the sales team on 01909 238173.

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Mitchell Clarke, Mobile Mini Key Account Manager, has worked for the company for nearly 4 years, initially joining as an Internal Sales Representative and being promoted to Strategic Account Representative. He has been interested in health since he was 16 years old but admits he didn’t take the dieting side of bodybuilding seriously until around 2 years ago.

“I didn’t know how to structure things properly until I hired my coaches, Sam and Jack from Tathams Powerhouse Gym and Fitness in Stapleford,” said Mitchell. “Last year, Sam won a bodybuilding show and afterwards, he said he thought I had the potential to do so too if I was dedicated enough. That was all the motivation I needed to take the next step.”

Mitchell followed a gruelling regime including 18 weeks of competition preparation, slowly dieting down and increasing the intensity of his cardio and weight training to at least five days per week, on top of squeezing in at least 10-15k of steps per day. “It is an exhausting challenge, especially the last 3-4 weeks when energy is low. I am so grateful for the support from everybody at work, they have never been anything but supportive and encouraging. It is so important if you have a passion or hobby, to not let this impact your working commitments, as this is a personal lifestyle choice.

“Whilst I am always conscious of managing my calendar with my food and water intake, this never affects my ability to give my all to customers or colleagues. The team from Mobile Mini West Yorkshire (Wakefield) have always been accommodating, showing interest in my progress and putting up with me cooking salmon in the office! They are really mindful and flexible and it would not be possible for me to achieve these ambitions without their support and understanding.”

Mobile Mini UK is one of the leading worldwide providers of portable accommodation and secure storage containers. Headquartered in Stockton-on-Tees, the company has a national network of 16 sites and over 40,000 portable units. Typical customers include construction companies, retailers, manufacturers, hospitals, schools, utility companies, distributors, local and national government, hotels, restaurants, entertainment complexes and individual households.

Steve Dickinson, Mobile Mini UK Managing Director, said “Mobile Mini UK considers its people to be its number one asset and we are incredibly proud of the achievements of our employees both at work and in their personal lives. Mitchell has shown the same level of dedication, graft and commitment in his bodybuilding as he does regularly for our customers and we could not be prouder of the fantastic example he is setting to achieve dreams and promote health, fitness and wellbeing.”

The 2 BROS PRO Amplified Classic competition was held at Braywick Leisure Centre in Maidenhead in July 2023. Mitchell achieved second place in the first-timers division but is keen to keep progressing and strive to become a champion, “I was a little disappointed not to have won after all the hard work and effort, but on reflection, I am proud of how far I have come and I have the confidence and drive now for the next show and to go on and win.”

For now, Mitchell will be continuing to build on his successful career in construction as well as other aspects of his life, “It takes a long time to build muscle, so might be a little while before I am ready to enter the next competition at the level I want to reach. In the meantime, I am hoping to buy a house soon and I am enjoying making good progress at work. I have a really good work-life balance at Mobile Mini and I am excited about what’s to come, both at the company and on my bodybuilding journey.”

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National Allotment Week (7^th – 13^th August 2023) does much to remind us of the value of working the land but gaining access to an allotment – particularly in London – isn’t always easy. The Association for Public Service Excellence reports that nearly 87% of local authorities are experiencing an increase in demand for allotments. Demand in the London Borough of Brent, for example, is so intense that there is an expected waiting time of up to two years for plots, with the waiting list closed to new applicants. In Wembley Park in the heart of Brent though, residents at Quintain Living’s Canada Gardens have found a way to beat the wait.

Canada Gardens is a family-focused development of 743 apartments to rent, ranging from studios to four-bedrooms homes. In addition to extensive grounds dotted with BBQ areas, designer work-from-home sheds, a pirate ship playpark and even its own clubhouse, the development features 18 hireable raised growing beds.

The Canada Gardens growing beds were conceived during the design phase of the site, way back in 2016. The London National Park City campaign, with which Quintain’s Head of Masterplanning & Design, Julian Tollast, was heavily involved, was influential in the thinking behind the resident amenities. Tollast and the Quintain Living team drew upon the campaign and their own passion for allotments by providing the raised beds and a greenhouse as part of the overall podium garden design for Canada Gardens.

Since the development opened its doors in 2021, residents have grown a range of fruits, vegetables, and herbs on-site. In addition to the raised beds, residents have use of a greenhouse and tool shed, while Quintain Living – award-winning management company which oversees the rental of more than 3,650 apartments in Wembley Park including those within Canada Gardens – also provides information on seasonal planting and growing tips. A new composter has recently been added to convert green waste from the 85-acre Wembley Park estate into nutrient-rich compost and liquid fertiliser (leachate).

Demand for the raised growing beds at Canada Gardens is strong and sustained. All 18 beds are currently in use, with a variety of salad crops and vegetables enjoying this summer’s signature combination of interspersed sunbursts and rain showers. Younger residents have been racing each other growing sunflowers and delighting in munching on bright, super-sweet strawberries. Fragrant herbs scent the air while cucumber vines are climbing up canes. In the greenhouse, the summer’s first tomatoes are just ripening, poised to provide the residents growing them with a sudden glut – perfect for sharing with fellow gardeners.

Indeed, not only do residents enjoy the opportunity to grow their own food – a win in sustainability terms by cutting out both food-to-table miles and packaging – but many are taking advantage of the social connections that growing food on-site provides. Residents Shamir and Reschma Jetha have enjoyed using both the Quintain Living Resident App and resident events such as gardening workshops to connect with their neighbours. Mother-of-two Reschma comments:

“Quintain Living arranged for a local community garden manager, Jim (or ‘Jim the Farmer’ as the kids call him) to teach us how plant everything properly. We planted lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, herbs and many more plants that day. It was really nice, we were all doing it together, everyone was so kind, so dedicated. ‘Jim the Farmer’ taught us so much about plants, when to sow them and how to care for them.”

Having never gardened before, Reschma was nervous that it would be complicated in an apartment, but the Quintain Living experience has shown her how easy it can be – and what a great social experience. She continues:

“It’s so easy and really gives us peace of mind to care about nature. Since we started gardening in the allotments, we’ve joined a Quintain Living residents allotment WhatsApp group. We let other members of the group know when we are coming down to the allotments in case they might like to join, and we can help each other take care of the plants.”

National Allotments Week 2023 is focused not just on growing produce but also on the importance of understanding the role of soil health in increasing yields and supporting biodiversity. Tending raised growing beds such as those at Canada Gardens is one way that families can pass this hugely important knowledge down to the next generation.

The Royal Horticultural Society provides plentiful advice when it comes to caring for soil. Its three top tips for working allotment plot soil include carrying out a soil pH test to understand whether any nutrients are lacking, adding organic matter by digging and rotovating and using a crop rotation plan. As part of such a plan, there is still plenty of planting to be done in August, from spring onions, radishes, lettuce and rocket to winter salad leaves such as mizuna and mibuna.

“Growing your own food is a fantastic way to enjoy fresh produce at its best while reducing your carbon footprint. Little tastes better than food you’ve grown yourself and picked just minutes before eating. There’s also plenty of fun to be had pickling and preserving the fruits of your own labour as well as getting to know your neighbours better by gifting them some of your homegrown produce.”

Danielle Bayless, Chief Operating Officer, Quintain Living

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