Welcome to another edition of Lampton News
Firstly, I would like to start with a congratulations and thank you to all of you for your hard work and dedication throughout the year. We’ve seen some fantastic achievements along the way. We’re an award-winning business now, didn’t you know?
We’ve been on quite the journey lately, navigating through a whirlwind of changes, all driven by our ambition to grow and become the best LATCO (Local Authority Trading Company) in the country. Yes, things might have been moving at lightning speed, but trust me, it’s all with the best intentions in mind.
Sure, change can be a bit uncomfortable. It’s like breaking in a new pair of shoes – a little tight at first, but once you adjust, they become your favourites. It’s natural for tensions to rise, but that’s okay. We’re a team and supporting each other through the ups and downs is what makes us stronger.
Finally, I want to wish everyone in the Lampton family, a very happy, relaxed, and joyous festive season with your loved ones.
I’m looking forward to coming back and seeing you all again in January, ready to go again on our exciting journey of growth, development and training.
Best wishes,
Martin Cresswell - Executive Chair
Lampton's Lifesaving Lifeguards
Lifeguards at Lampton Leisure have been recognised for their swift and life-saving response at Isleworth Leisure Centre. During a recent incident, the team demonstrated their exceptional skills and professionalism, ultimately saving a life.
The incident unfolded when one lifeguard spotted a swimmer in distress underwater. The situation quickly escalated as the swimmer lost consciousness at the bottom of the pool. Without hesitation, the team began the rescue effort. While one team member swiftly rescued the unconscious swimmer from the water, another member promptly called the emergency services. Within minutes, an ambulance arrived at the scene.
This outcome is testament to Lampton Leisure’s unwavering commitment to regular water safety training. The lifeguards’ ability to remain calm under pressure and follow established protocols was instrumental in saving a life.
Reflecting on the incident, Fatjon, one of the heroic lifeguards, expressed his relief and satisfaction, stating, “My training paid off, and natural instinct kicked in. It was a real relief when I saw the customer breathing again.”
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the exceptional team at Lampton Leisure for their dedication. Their unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the Hounslow community is truly commendable. They continue to make a significant difference to people’s lives, and we applaud their remarkable efforts.
Success for Lampton at the West London Business Awards
It was a very successful night for Lampton at the West London Business Awards.
Congratulations to the Lampton Services Commercial Recycling and Waste team for joint winning the award for Best Support Business & Advice/Service Company.
Also well done to the Greenspace team for being Highly Commended in the award for Best Green Business.
Both teams place our customers first with every single collection and interaction with the local people of Hounslow.
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Lampton Homes to Insource Housing Services
We have some exciting news to share! From 1st April 2024, Lampton Homes will be insourcing the delivery of housing management services for its properties.
Work is underway to directly deliver services to our residents including tenancy management, lettings, repairs, rents and resident engagement.
The focus is to improve customer experience by not having a 3rd party intermediary managing our properties and engaging directly with our customers.
This will drive efficiencies in our operations through new technologies such a new housing management software and telephony system. This will allow us to increase the amount of time we spend with our customers.
We are working closely with Lampton Services who will be delivering the repairs, maintenance and compliance of the homes.
Congratulations to Sophie Atkins
Lampton extends a congratulations to Sophie Atkins, who has become Lampton Group's Head of Business and Strategy.
Sophie will be helping to grow Lampton's commercial services to create sustained profitability and strengthen Hounslow's public services. This will be done through a new business strategy that Sophie will take the lead on.
Please watch a short message from her, outlining her new role and responsibilities.
Coffee Pod Recycling Scheme for Local Residents
On Monday 13th November, Lampton Services Recycle, in partnership with the London Borough of Hounslow (LBH) and Podback, launched a brand-new coffee pod recycling scheme, available to residents across the borough.
Podback is a nationwide, not for profit, coffee pod recycling service. Meaning we have been able to deliver this new service without any financial cost to Lampton, LBH and most importantly its residents.
Our fantastic Collections Team at Recycle, now collect Podback bags, filled with coffee pods, as part of the kerbside weekly recycling collection. The bags are then brought back to our Material Handling Facility, sorted into crates and once full, are sent off to be recycled.
The pods are sent to specialist reprocessing facilities in the UK, where they are shredded, removing the coffee grounds from the plastic and aluminium casing. The plastic and aluminium are then transformed into new products, including beverage cans, car components, building products or plastic garden furniture. The coffee grounds are then processed by anaerobic digestion, which creates a biogas, a renewable energy source, with the by-product used as a soil fertiliser.
Only two weeks after starting the service, we have a full crate waiting for onward reprocessing. Plus, over 1000 residents have already signed up to the service, the fastest London Borough yet to get to hit this milestone!
If you are a resident in Hounslow and interested in this new recycling scheme, please visit www.Hounslow.gov.uk/podback
Welcome to Lampton Rewards
Lampton Group are working with Sodexo to bring you Lampton Rewards which is our employee benefits and reward platform launched on Tuesday 12th December. Lampton Rewards is for everyone regardless of their role of division of Lampton.
Lampton Rewards gives you access to a great range of discounts on a variety of retailers, services, and your everyday spending to help you stretch your money further. Including money off groceries, tech, fashion, homewares and more.
Joining is easy, follow the three simple steps to start saving today!
1. Visit www.lamptonrewards.co.uk.
2. Enter your first and last name with employee ID (found on your payslip or iTrent).
3. Click to confirm your registration and start shopping!
Hanworth's Magical Community Christmas Event
Join us for a festive celebration at Lampton Leisure’s Magical Community Christmas event! Running on December 16th from 10 am - 5 pm at the Hanworth Air Park Leisure Centre. This exciting event is open to the public, with free entry for children and a nominal fee of £2 for adults, which will be donated to the HAY charity.
Not only this, but Lampton Leisure will be conducting recruitment stalls for various leisure job roles, providing an excellent opportunity to explore exciting career prospects.
The Christmas family fun day will offer a wide range of activities for everyone to enjoy. Bring out your creative side with face painting as well as arts and crafts activities, perfect for children and adults alike. Get ready for a magical disco in the afternoon to end this incredible day.
Additionally, free group exercise taster classes will also be offered, allowing participants to experience the benefits of our fitness programs first-hand. Stay active and have fun with friends and family.
Don’t miss out on this memorable event. Join us for the festive period for a day filled with joy, entertainment, and community spirit.
Kitchen and Bathrooms Aplenty!
Our Kitchen & Bathrooms Team delivered 51 installs in the month of November. With this being one of the best months for kitchen fittings.
Commenting on this amazing feat, Sam Leigh, Managing Director for Lampton Services said, “What a stellar performance from our Kitchen & Bathrooms Team. They had their foot to the floor, delivering a fantastic result for the business and 51 happy customers who had installs..
“I just wanted to say a HUGE well done and thank you for your great work.”
Spotlight on: Daniel Mitson, Communications Assistant (Apprentice)
Question: Why did you decide to do an apprenticeship?
Answer: It’s an unconventional next step for a university graduate, but I wanted to go into communications and PR but was often turned down by various organisations after interviewing due to my lack of experience. Gaining experience and a qualification in PR and comms seemed like a good option!
Question: How does the apprenticeship work alongside your role?
Answer: I study for six hours a week and meet with my tutor once a week. This means I take two afternoons out of my work to study.
Question: What qualification do you get?
Answer: A level 4 CIPR-endorsed qualification in PR and Communications, which is a useful qualification to have.
Question: What advice would you give to someone thinking about an apprenticeship?
Answer: Make sure it’s in a field you are interested in, you do not want to be pigeon-holed into something you don’t like.
Question: Why did you want to work for Lampton?
Answer: Lampton were very responsive and interested in my application. I’ve gone through a lot of tedious and irritating recruitment processes, and I think it gives you an indication of what the company is like. Lampton’s process was quite straightforward and communicative. It goes a long way. Helping public services is another reason why.
Question: What’s the best thing about working for Lampton?
Answer: Working from home most days. I live in North London, so it saves a small fortune due to not having to pay for travel. I appreciate the forward-thinking of Lampton and that they take employee morale seriously. Productivity is key and this helps a lot.
More sleep is also good for the brain, and I don’t have some random person opposite me on the underground staring into my soul like we are ‘The Rock’ and ‘Stone Cold Steve Austin’ at WrestleMania 17.
Question: What one item would you bring on a desert island and why?
Answer: A genie lamp with unlimited wishes. There’s always a loophole.
Question: What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning?
Answer: My alarm.
Coping with Christmas
Dan Smyth, Director Recycle & Sustainability
The festive season is a great time of year. But with all the pressures to spend, socialise and have fun, it’s not without its significant stresses and strains. The mental health charity MIND says that the pressures of Christmas have a big impact on everyone. Whether Christmas is a part of your life or not, help* is available for anyone who finds it difficult to cope at this time of year.
Here are some tips from MIND that may help you over the coming weeks.
- Put yourself first - It’s ok to prioritise what’s best for you. Think about what you need to cope and how you are going to get it.
- Think about what you will need if you are going somewhere new that may make you uncomfortable or if you will be in difficult social situations.
- What help is available -make a list of the services you might need and their Christmas opening hours.
- The time - if you are going to be on your own over Christmas, plan an activity or spend time with nature.
- It’s ok to tell people that you may struggle over Christmas. It’s also ok to ask for help.
All Lampton colleagues have access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), which is supplied through Health Hero Assist.
This service is available 24 hours a day and is completely confidential.
Safina Reflects on Rough Sleeping Campaign
We are excited to share some touching and inspiring words from one of our own staff members who recently had the privilege of participating in an international rough sleeping campaign with the London Borough of Hounslow (LBH). Our colleague, Safina Shaikh, Health & Safety Advisor expressed gratitude for the opportunity and shares her experience:
“First of all, I am so thankful for the opportunity to participate in the Annual Street Count where we headed out into the night looking for rough sleepers.
“Rough sleeping campaigns have always thought me ‘to be grateful for what I have’. It is true, yet we all have our own battles to fight, and we should not compare them with anyone’s.
“Maybe this comparison contributes in some way to us feeling embarrassed when facing socially excluded people, pushing us to ignore homeless persons in the street. Yet many of them have a lot to teach us, in how they handle their problems and life in general. There is way more to learn than gratefulness.
“When I was studying in the UAE, I was part of an association where I regularly spent time with homeless people. Each Friday with the same group of 3–4 volunteers, we spent a few hours walking by specific streets of the city. We usually met with the same persons —at least most of the time— along the route and stayed a moment with them.
“Taking a step back, this experience changed my life in some way, this time in a different country. Not only did I discover a completely different reality going on without us knowing much about it; I also learned lessons that can be applied to our everyday lives.
“In fact, while I was supposed to be the one helping them by volunteering, they gave me so much more! Everyone Has Something to Share - “Everybody has a story. And there’s something to be learned from every experience.” — Oprah Winfrey
“I Also I got the very opportunity to meet with the Directorates, Councillors, MET Police, Public Health England, colleagues from the borough and amazing team members of the HIPS.
“I and was super proud of representing Lampton and having heard good stories of the great work that we do!”
Winter Driving Tips
Breakdowns and accidents are more common in the winter when road conditions are challenging.
Here are some top tips for driving in winter and staying safe on snowy and icy roads.
How to drive safely in snow and ice:
1. Take it slow using gentle manoeuvres.
2. Don’t drive when you’re feeling unwell.
3. Pull away in second gear, easing your foot off the clutch gently.
4. If using your breaks, apply them gently.
5. Driving uphill – leave plenty of room between other vehicles or wait until it’s clear so you don’t have to stop part way up. Keep a constant speed and try to avoid having to change gear on the hill.
6. Driving downhill – slow down before the hill, use a low gear and try to avoid braking. Leave as much room as you can after the vehicle in front.
If you get stuck:
1. Straighten the steering and clear the snow from the wheels.
2. Put a sack or old rug in front of the driving wheels to give the tyres some grip.
Other important vehicle tips:
- Clear your windows of snow, ice and mist.
- Make your vehicle as visible as possible.
- Choose the right winter tires.
- Look after batteries and electronics.
- Top up your antifreeze in cold weather.
- Sort vehicle problems BEFORE the winter.
Items for your winter survival kit:
- Warm clothes, waterproofs and high-vis jackets.
- Sturdy footwear.
- Hot drinks and snacks.
- Shovel.
- Jump leads.
- Warning triangles.
For more tips, check out the AA’s guide for winter driving at https://www.theaa.com/cars/advice/top-tips/top-tips-for-winter-driving
Sustainable Festivities
There are various ways to make the festive period more sustainable – a google search will return lots of ideas from sensible suggestions on buying presents that last to more far out alternative gifts and weird and wonderful ideas for gatherings and events.
With this being Lampton Services Recycle’s busiest time of the year, here are a few thoughts to cut down on waste and recycle more:
Christmas cards and wrapping paper with glitter or made from plastic cannot be recycled – avoid buying them, and don’t put them in your recycling.
Avoid unnecessary food waste by planning carefully what to buy – the supermarkets are awash with offers to tempt you to over purchase to which many people overcome, generating lots of waste.
Your freezer is your friend, in the weeks up to Christmas consider increasing the space, so you can freeze more leftovers.
There are lots of statistics on the huge proportion of single use items, or gifts that are binned in days try and avoid Christmas crackers (not recyclable. 99% of their contents are binned within 12hrs) and buying stocking fillers – instead club together with friends and family to buy longer lasting gifts.
Ask if the recipient either needs or even wants the gift you are buying before you buy it.
News from the Board
Lampton recently held a Non-Executive Director strategy day at which Martin Cresswell, Group Executive Chair, delivered a presentation in which he was pleased to highlight that Lampton Group’s profile had been raised both internally and externally in the media. Because of this, Lampton Group had won some external contracts.
Martin then went on to say that the Lampton Group had good operational delivery and a strong Executive Team. However, there is always room for improvement. With that in mind, the aim for the day was to provide support and direction to develop a three-year plan to help us continue growing our services.
Going forward the group wants to adopt a new cross-company, one team approach to business development. Now most of the trading work is held by Lampton Services.
Lampton Homes highlighted to the Board that there were currently around 400 properties across the borough that were void and proposed an arrangement where Lampton Homes and Lampton Services would work jointly to turn around these voids into rentable homes for local people.
Thank you for reading
Do you have a story that you want featured in the next edition of Lampton News?
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Contact us by sending an email to lamptongroup.comms@lampton360.co.uk