Protection against rising sea levels

As part of our ongoing program to protect our Trademarks this web page came up.  Having a sense of humour we felt not only should we permit the use of Up and Under (TM) in this construction context, but we should bring this article to your attention, I hope you enjoy it ;o)

http://www.flyintheface.com/up%20and%20under.html

I also like the Stock Exchange section and am considering ordering a large box of fresh air soon, if only they could supply unlimited sunshine.

10,000 Small Businesses - Graduation

Last night the first NW cohort of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 small businesses program celebrated their graduation at Greens in Didsbury.

It was an excellent event attended by program participants, facilitators, tutors, the admin team, the sponsors representitives and the Vice Chancellor of Manchester metropolitan University.

Andy receives his certificate from MMU VC

 The VC presented certificates to all of the program's successful graduates, before speaches of thanks were made and people got down to the serious business of eating, drinking and, well, celebrating.

Andy and the VC - best mates!

Participation in this program has been a joy as well as tremendously helpful to our business's growth plans.

Congratulations to Ann Mulhaney, sorry, Doctor Ann Mulhany on her Phd.


Photos: MMU/Lucy Edgar/Goldman Sachs 10, small businsses 

Cheshire Business Awards 2011

Friday night was both frustrating and rewarding;  frustrating in that we didn't win Employer of the Year and rewarding in that we were identified as one of the three best employers in the county.

This is testament to the efforts of everyone at the Up and Under Group.  I think we should all be very proud of our success.

Below are a few comments from the organisers, sponsors and presenters:

Friday night began with an introduction from Rob Irvine, publishing director Trinity Mirror North Wales and Cheshire, who described the awards as growing in importance every year.

“It was a tough but rewarding job for the judges to draw up a shortlist and pick the winners,” he said.

“The awards represent the pick of the crop of Cheshire talent who are helping to get Britain back on track.

“Tonight you will hear examples of people who have launched start up companies, developed small businesses into bigger organisations, done sterling work in their communities and helped staff to reach their full potential.”


Returning as host for the occasion was Granada and ITN news presenter Lucy Meacock, a former Chester Chronicle journalist with a life long commitment to Cheshire and its business community.

Paying tribute to the businesses represented at the event, she said: “You create the jobs so that people can enjoy the opportunity to stay in this wonderful county and start their careers here.”

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Programme

The Up and Under Group is extremely proud to have been a participant on the 10,000 Small Businesses programme in the North West.  On 20th September 2011 we will graduate from the first full UK cohort following on from the pilot project in Leeds.

10,000 Small Businesses is designed to unlock the economic and job creation potential of small businesses and social enterprises operating in the United Kingdom. The programme is targeted at small businesses and social enterprises with clear ambitions to expand. The goal of the programme is to provide participants with tools and resources to help them lay the foundation for long-term sustainable growth and job creation in their communities.

The programme has help us to create a more effective and sustainable business model which will help us to provide a better and more diverse service to our customers whilst meetingthe aspirations of our team members.

Andy Fewtrell has been working with Aston University Business School to promote the programme roll out in Birmingham.
10,000 Small Businesses is funded by the Goldman Sachs Foundation and delivered in the North West by Manchester Metropolitan Business School

http://www.mmucfe.co.uk/services/providing/10000-small-businesses

An Interesting Programme

For the most part current radio and TV output is background noise, but from time to time you hear something that you think is worth sharing.  As an organisation that believes in increasing peoples opportunities both within the company and in the wider society I found the programme below, 'The Class Ceiling', very interesting so thought i'd share it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b014629m#synopsis This has a link to listen via the iplayer.

"Next on: Today (8th Sept), 21:30 on BBC Radio 4


Synopsis
In a major new two-part documentary series for BBC Radio 4, the journalist and author Polly Toynbee explores the ever-more-pressing question of how possible it is to move up through British society. Who gets to break the 'class ceiling'?

Polly argues that, while deference is long gone, and some politicians have swapped ties and titles for first names and informality, Britain's class system is still going strong.

In the first programme in the series, Polly examined how a child's family life and education can block or boost their social progress. In this second programme, Polly asks what happens when young people enter the workplace and in the housing market. Do these rites of passage help break the class ceiling, or do they reinforce it?"

Westminster Bridge Examination

Up and Under Limited continued their association with bridges over the Thames yesterday, undertaking an examination of  bridge strike damage to Westminster Bridge.  This type of inncident is relatively common and varies in seriousness from paint scrapes to physical damage.

Dan with the London Eye in the background

Our involvement with bridges over the Thames goes back to 1988 when we carried out a Principal Inspection of Battersea Bridge.  Later that year we inspected impact damage on the same bridge and thus started an involvement that extends to dozens of projects on 16 of the road bridges on the tidal section of the river.

There are 22 road bridges in total and we would very much like to complete the set.

"Why You?"

“Why you?”

A question asked by a business colleague when the shortlist for the Cheshire Business Awards were released.
“Because we believe in our team and invest in them” I answered.
“Evidence?” he asked
So that got me thinking and so far this is a list of the training and development opportunities offered to our team that I can think of from the past 12-18 months:

• NWDA High Growth programme member - this has opened up a range of half day seminars on a variety of management issues to the senior and middle management team.
• NEBOSH Gen. Cert.- All our directors have either completed the course or are undertaking it.
• LEAD - all of our directors have completed or are in the process of completing the LEAD management development programme at MMU.
• Degrees - One successful foundation degree and one sponsored student this year, continued sponsorship of two candidates next year.
• Foundation Cert. Human Resources - one candidate sponsored on this day release course.
• NVQs - level 6 Construction Site Management: one candidate, Level 3 Site Technical Support; 4 candidates, Level 3 Occupational Work Supervision: 3 candidates.
• H&S Training- a wide range of courses including the whole team completing Emergency First Aid and Fire training plus a range of confined space training, PASMA courses and rope access training.
• Goldman Sachs 10,000 small businesses programme - One of 23 businesses selected in the first cohort of this prestigious programme in the NW.
• Personal Coaching - provided to a number of staff members.
• Charitable Activities - members of the team have been involved in a range of fund raising activities to raise funds for the Up and Under Foundation that supports youngsters in the local community.
• Social activities - all staff, partners and children were invited to the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power - we cannot be held responsible for the foul weather on the day!
• Membership of the Winning Pitch High Growth Foundation - opens up a range of training seminars to team members.

 These are the things that come immediately to mind and the list is unlikely to be exhaustive, so next time I am asked, “Why You?”, I will have a more detailed answer.

Andy