Tag Archive: staff

1. Thurston Group joins the Mental Health Charter

   20th August 2021 11:18 am Comments Off on Thurston Group joins the Mental Health Charter

   We’re delighted to announce that we’ve signed up to the Mental Health Charter. Solidifying our commitment to improving mental health within our workplace and raising awareness to end the stigma surrounding it, enabling more people to open up. By signing the charter, we’re committing to the principles of the Mental Health Charter and pledge to provide mental health awareness across our business, both internally and externally.

   Looking after our mental health is important, especially after over 16 months of instability. It’s been tough for all of us. With the pandemic not only affecting the way we live and work but having a significant impact on our mental health. It’s important that we look out for each other and make sure we recognise the signs of poor mental health. 

   With more people than ever adjusting to new life working from home, it has improved our work/life balance but has also led to people working longer hours despite not having a commute. This can lead to burnout, stress and poor mental health. And with the vaccine rollout and restrictions being slowly lifted, people may start to feel anxious or overwhelmed, especially as people move from working at home and back into an office setting. We need to ensure that everyone is getting the help they need to adjust to the ‘new normal’.  

   Good health and mental wellbeing are really important to us when it comes to both staff and clients. We’re looking to make sure that the workplace culture at Thurston’s is a healthy one, and that’s why we’ve joined the Mental Health Charter. If you or your organisation would like more information on the Mental Health Charter, or want to sign up yourself, you can head to their website.

    

2. Tips to go plastic free

   30th June 2021 10:42 am Comments Off on Tips to go plastic free

   Around eight million pieces of plastic pollution enter our seas and oceans every day. And around 33% of this plastic is used once and then thrown away, most of which cannot biodegrade. Do you need help cutting your use of single use plastic? As part of Plastic Free July and our commitment to sustainability, we’re going to be sharing our tips on how you can go plastic free. 

   Plastic Free July is a global initiative challenging people to drastically reduce their plastic consumption, which is causing significant damage to our planet. As a business committed to improving our sustainability, we want to make sure we have a positive impact on our environment. Not only will you be able to save money with our tips, you’ll be reducing your plastic consumption and living more sustainably. 

   Carry a reusable water bottle

   Plastic bottles take between 70 and 450 years to break down. If you’re buying drinks on the go, not only are you spending money unnecessarily, you’re also contributing to plastic pollution. They’ll end up in landfill or in our oceans releasing harmful chemicals and emitting micro-plastics that will end up back in our own bodies. Carrying your own bottle will help you save money, keep you healthy by drinking lots of water and help save the planet. We actively encourage all of our staff to bring their own reusable bottles where they can refill it across our three sites. 

   Always carry a tote bag

   This is important for those constantly on the go and for those who don’t do their shopping online. Are you the type to nip to the shops after work to do your shopping? If so, carrying a tote bag means you won’t need a plastic bag for your shopping. It can fit inside your normal bag and be brought out when you go shopping. 

   Bring your own lunch

   In our business, many of our staff travel between sites and often spend their money buying their lunch out between travelling. Increasing their monthly spend and having a negative impact on the environment. For those who have spent time working from home during the pandemic, they’ve realised just how much they can save by making their own lunch. Try and set out a bit of time of an evening to prepare lunch to take in or use leftovers from last night’s dinner. Numerous outlets are still offering single-use plastic cutlery with their takeaway meals. If you still fancy lunch on the go, why not pick up eco-friendly cutlery so you’re always prepared?

   Look for reusable food wraps

   One of the best ways to save money, eat healthily and avoid buying single-use plastic is by bringing your own lunch to work as previously mentioned. Plenty of people have started to bring their own lunch to work but you find that lots of food is wrapped in cling film or tin foil, or brought in single-use containers. Households across the UK use more than 1.2 billion metres of cling film, which is enough to go around the circumference of the world 30 times over. You should look at using a natural alternative that could be reused over and over. The same thing can be used for makeup wipes – opt for pads you can throw in the wash instead. 

   Pick up a reusable cup for hot drinks

   We all love a morning tea or coffee, but carrying a reusable cup will do wonders for reducing plastic pollution. One single reusable cup equals 500 single-use coffee cups. A lot of cafes will now take your cup and use it instead of their own, sometimes even giving you money off for using a reusable cup. 

   How else do we make sure we’re reducing our carbon footprint? Find out about how sustainable we are here.

3. Thurston’s raises over £10,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support in one month

   11th June 2021 9:46 am Comments Off on Thurston’s raises over £10,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support in one month

   We’ve raised a phenomenal £10,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support after putting together a cycling team to cycle the equivalent of London to Paris throughout the month of May. Covering around 250 miles each, the team initially aimed to raise £5000. But after smashing their target halfway through, the team refocused and worked harder to raise over £10,000 for the charity in just one month. 

   Sadly Mick Rigby, who has been part of our Thurston’s family for over 20 years, was diagnosed with lung cancer. With the disease now spreading to his brain, we donned our cycling shorts to raise vital funds for Macmillan Cancer Support, which has been a great support for Mick and his family. 

   Due to covid-19 restrictions, it became a virtual event allowing the team to rack up the miles at their own pace and in their own time. They did it at home, in the gym, or outdoors in their local area with cycling apps monitoring their progress throughout. This sector has been hardest hit by the pandemic with almost all fundraising grinding to a halt. Our ‘Your Cycle 2021’ JustGiving page was one of the most successful JustGiving pages last month. Out of thousands of fundraisers, our page reached the top 1%. 

   Matthew Goff, Managing Director, said, “We’re really keen to raise as much as we can for this fantastic charity and are amazed at just how much we’ve managed to raise in one month. Thank you for your support and thank you to all of the staff who have been taking part. This is a cause very close to all of our hearts and we can’t wait to hand that money over to such a deserving charity!”

4. Thurston Group achieves Quality Management, Health and Safety and Environmental ISO Accreditations

   9th June 2021 9:37 am Comments Off on Thurston Group achieves Quality Management, Health and Safety and Environmental ISO Accreditations

   We’ve achieved ISO Accreditations from the NQA for 9001 (Quality Management), 45001 (Health and Safety) and 14001 (Environmental Standards). Demonstrating robust processes and our commitment to health and safety and environmental standards across all three sites. 

   These accreditations will also highlight to our current and future clients that we have robust processes and systems in place that are regularly reviewed and audited. All three sites achieved the 45001 ISO for the first time and our Hull and Catfoss sites both achieved 14001 and 9001 ISO accreditations for the first time. 

   Achieving ISO 9001, the international standard defining the requirements for a Quality Management System, shows our clients that we’re able to meet the relevant requirements in managing processes and systems. This demonstrates a robust process behind the scenes, ensuring a smoother project delivery for the client. 

   ISO 45001 for Health and Safety standards provides us with a structured framework to ensure a safe and healthy workplace. This achievement recognises our commitment to employee safety, reducing risks throughout the workplace and creating safer working environments for our staff. 

   The ISO 14001 Environmental standards set out the criteria needed for an environmental management system. They also map out a framework that organisations can use to set up their own going forward. Achieving this provides our staff and clients with the assurance that our environmental impact is being regularly tracked and improved across our sites. 

   Matthew Goff, our Managing Director, was delighted to achieve all three ISO Accreditations. He said, “I’m really proud that we’ve achieved these accreditations and would like to thank all of those involved in the process. This demonstrates Thurston’s commitments to health and safety and sustainability, as well as ensuring robust systems and processes.”

    

5. Meet the team – our Business Development Manager, Bob Holloway

   26th January 2021 9:45 pm Comments Off on Meet the team – our Business Development Manager, Bob Holloway

   This week, we talk to our new Business Development Manager for Offsite. Responsible for the southern region of the UK, Bob Holloway brings over 30 years’ of experience in the industry. We talk to him to find out more…

   1. Hi Bob, welcome to Thurston Group! Can you share your key responsibilities?

   My main responsibility is to look for new business opportunities in the southern region. Whether that’s new clients or building relationships with existing clients. As I’m quite new to the team, I’ll be focusing on developing relationships and getting to know our existing customer database further.

   1. Are there any particular markets you will be exploring?

   The Projects area is my key focus so I’m looking to meet with architects, main contractors and cost consultants. The five main sectors of focus are education, residential, commercial, infrastructure and healthcare but I will be exploring other sectors too, such as construction and industrial. 

   1. In your opinion, what is the one key benefit of using modular buildings?

   There are so many benefits but if I had to choose just one, it would have to be that modular buildings can be designed and built in a factory environment. By building units in a controlled environment health and safety isn’t compromised, sustainability is improved and waste is minimised. As modular buildings are constructed offsite, there’s minimal disruption to clients and buildings can be built up to 50% quicker than traditional builds. 

   1. What one key business objective would you like to achieve by the end of 2019?

   Secure more business and grow our brand within the education, healthcare and the residential sectors whilst ensuring targets are met.

   1. Can you share an insight into what 2020 looks like?

   There’s no doubt that offsite construction is growing, and we are seeing a significant demand for modular buildings across a range of sectors. At Thurston’s, we want to continue to meet market demand by offering a quick turnaround and high-quality modular solutions that will benefit a range of sectors.

   To find out more about Bob, connect with him on LinkedIn here. You can find out more about our Senior team here.

6. Meet the team – Project Manager, Harrison Hudson

   13th November 2019 2:49 pm Comments Off on Meet the team – Project Manager, Harrison Hudson

   This week, we talk to Project Manager, Harrison Hudson. With a family history in construction and a passion for sustainability, Harrison believes the modular industry has a lot more to offer. We talk to Harrison to find out more…

   1. Hi Harrison! How have you settled into your role since joining three months ago?

   I’m really enjoying it and finding it really interesting. The fact that Thurston’s manufactures onsite really stood out to me as it’s such a rarity in the UK. It’s a really busy time for Thurston and it’s exciting to be a part of the business during their growth.

   2. Tell me more about your role at Thurston’s and your key responsibilities.

   I’m responsible for a variety of things. From taking a project from the initial design into production and installation, right through to completion of a modular build cycle. It’s very rewarding and it’s great to have such a supportive team.  

   3. Why did you choose this industry? What excited you about it?

   One of the topics that interests me the most is sustainability and modular buildings certainly have a key role to play in this. They can reduce energy consumption and ensure that materials are being used more efficiently, so there’s less waste. Becoming greener and more efficient is such a current issue. So it’s great to know that I’m working in an industry that is putting sustainability at the forefront.

   4. What’s your favourite thing about working in the modular building industry?

   No two days are the same. From providing modular buildings for the healthcare and residential sectors to specialist petrochemical sites, there is so much variety.  

   5. What have been some of your favourite projects to work on this year?

   I recently worked on an Edinburgh Bio-Quarter project. Thurston’s supplied a two-storey building consisting of a large Cat2 labotatory, several meeting rooms and an office space for healthcare research. It felt very rewarding to be doing something for the greater good.

   Another project I particularly enjoyed was working with Rolls Royce. We supplied a full turnkey building package from design right through to delivery. It felt amazing to work with such a renowned brand!

   6. How do you think the industry can attract more graduates?        

   I believe we need to bridge the gap earlier between classroom education and working on site. This will give graduates a much better insight into businesses and the real world, whether that’s offsite or onsite. It also gives individuals the chance to learn and be mentored by architects and surveyors to fully understand the manufacturing process. Enabling them to figure out which path they want to take.  

   I do believe the face of the industry needs to change too. There needs to be an even bigger focus on sustainability and lowering emissions, which is something today’s generation are really passionate about. I believe that would inspire more graduates to join the modular building industry.

7. Staff congratulated after reaching milestones

   4th October 2019 11:28 am Comments Off on Staff congratulated after reaching milestones

   We’d like to congratulate Peter Speight, our Division Director, and Matthew Petch, our Financial Controller after reaching milestones in their Thurston’s career. Peter has recently celebrated his 25th anniversary at Thurston Group. Having previously trained in architecture and worked with several architect practices and construction companies, Peter’s area of expertise is within building design and construction in both traditional and modular formats.

   Matthew Petch, our Financial Controller, has also received a promotion after 10 years’ of service. Matthew joined us as a Trainee Accountant after working his way up to Company Accountant in 2015. Thurston’s prides itself on being a successful business that regenerates profit to improve its efficiency and service. Carefully managing our finances, Matthew ensures that we secure solid arrangements with suppliers and sub-contractors. Ultimately positioning us with a commercial edge.