Up and Under Lead Innovation

We are always working to share ideas and improvement with our friends and customers.  Following a recent lecture, given by our MD Andy Fewtrell, to Atkins Directors, it seems our ideas are spreading further.  The following is an excerpt from the Atkins Publication the Lean Informer.

We are always interested in working in partnerships to improve outcomes, call us 01270 589615

Safety Update - Free Seminar

We like to help you keep up to date when we can and this has just come to our attention.

Free health and Safety event - Working at Heights Seminar to be held in Bradford on Tuesday evening 25th June.

Getting closer with Up and Under

Obviously we will be very happy to help you with your work at height needs whether they be projects at height or over water, or if you require specialist training for safe work at height

CPD interest grows.....

The following is a report form the Federation Of Small Businesses' web site reporting on a recent Up and Under CPD Event.

Please contact us if you think we would male a useful contribution you calendar for 2013/14

Buddies Bag a Bike

Well actually it was a Trike but it didn't work quite as well as a headline ;o)

After the success of the recent Foundation Rides the Up and Under Group have donated a specialist tricycle to the Cheshire Buddies through the Up and Under Foundation. This means that disabled children at Central Cheshire Buddy Scheme can now all get on their bikes while at the club.

Youngsters with the new trike

Stephanie Lawley, one of the Buddies leaders said

 ‘The bike is a fantastic gift. We have a number of young people who do not have a bike at home so when they come to club on a Saturday, in Shavington, they just love riding around the centre.  This is a great gift and we thank Up and Under for their support’..

Cheshire buddies is a voluntary community group which supports children and young people with disabilities to access a range of fun activities they would not normally have the opportunity to be involved with. 

If you would like more information about Cheshire Buddies contact Stephanie Lawley on 07873423389. Or visit www.cheshirebuddies.co.uk

Up and Under Highly Commended

Our active involvement in the Community has been recognised with The Up and Under Group being Highly Commended in the 2013 North West Building Stronger Communities Impact Award in the Annual  Business in the Community Awards.  This follows the Corporate Social Responsibility Award which they won earlier in the year in the High Sheriff’s Awards for Enterprise.

Read more here Link

Stephen Howard, Business in the Community’s Chief Executive said: “The Responsible Business Awards shine the spotlight on an aspect of business that very rarely gets much public recognition – and that is its ability and willingness to truly transform lives, communities and society for the better. I congratulate The Up and Under Group, which recognises that it is part of a movement of companies creating value by living their values. We hope their example will inspire many more businesses to put responsible behaviour at the heart of how they do business.”

Our commitment to making a positive difference is founded on the work we do in physical asset management, providing inspection and maintenance of bridges, buildings, towers and underground structures also the work of our Interiors Division which creates beautiful office interiors and Entrainment our very hands on safety and management training company.  

Without you - our customers - supporting these activities and the commitment of our team the other Good Stuff couldn't happen.

Thanks!

What we do in our spare time

Continuing the loose series of articles about what Up and Under team members do on their day off, I thought I'd add this stuff.  We were recently invited by a supplier to try out the longest zip wire in Europe, so as this was the first invite we had ever had we decided to give it a try.

First there was the waiting about.........

Then the red plastic outfits ...........................

A bit of posing......................

Obviously being used to the scary stuff on a day to day basis - fully risk assessed of course -  we had to act casual, here is what all the fuss was about ;o)

Andy on the Radio

A warning that Andy -  the boss - will be on the radio, again!, today ;o)

http://www.redshiftradio.co.uk/programmes/flying-start

Fortunately you have to listen on the internet so he won't be able to talk to you in your car

Foundation Rides, a Great Success

On Sunday a hundred riders set out, bathed in sunshine, to enjoy a cycle ride around the Cheshire lanes to raise money to improve the lives of local youngsters.  The inaugural Foundation Rides were organised by, civil engineering and safety trainers, the Up and Under Group. On offer were two challenging events; a 50km ride taking in Audlem, Wrenbury and Nantwich and a tougher route that continued to Malpas before heading over the Bickerton Hills.

The event was set up to raise money for the Up and Under Foundation which so far this year has supported two weekend trips away for young carers and the Cheshire Buddies as well as helping several other youngsters with the costs of school trips and scout camps.  It is estimated that the money raised at the weekend will support a further 15-20 children.

The Charity, whose mission is to “Change Lives Through Adventure”, was definitely supported by people with their own spirit of adventure.  Amongst the riders was a 9 year old who completed the 50km route before many of the adults returned, a 14 year old Scout who rode the hilly 100km circuit and our oldest rider was 82 years young, surely a great advert for cycling.

These events always attract their share of memorable moments and this was no exception with people blinking their eyes in surprise when Postman Pat rode past on his postie bike complete with black and white cat!  We think that Simon Walker was involved here somewhere.

The 100km ride start

Tea and conversation at the end

Dave is greeted by Sue at the Checkpoint

Postman Pat mounts up

Nervous conversation at the start of the 50km ride

Refreshments part way round the Foundation Ride

How hard can this cycling lark be ;o)

The event will take place next in early June next year so you have time to get some training done.  A big thank you must go to our supporters, Asda, Chatwins, CREH, Marks and Spencer, Mornflake & the staff and friends of Up and Under.

A busy weekend to come

On Sunday we will be running our first fund raising cycle event " The Foundation Rides"  More than 100 people will leave our offices after a Mornflake Porridge breakfast to enjoy the beauty of Cheshire's quiet lanes on a variety of bikes.

 We will have a celebrity guest in the form of Pastman Pat, who bravely has entered the challenging 100km ride, so give him lots of support.

Give pat a cheer along the way

The money raised from this event will be used to give opportunities to less well off youngster to participate in activities and adventures through the Up and Under Foundation.

Youngsters enjoying a recent trip to the Conway Centre

We have had lots of local support in addition to that given by our staff, including from Mornflake, Chatwins, Marks and Spencer, Asda and JLT Insurance Brokers.

Reward for riding - a view on the "Good Stuff"

If you fancy enhancing your wardrobe we will have a draw to win one of three Rapha Condor team t shirts.

The rides start at 9am at our offices with riders returning from about noon.  There will be a party atmosphere at the office throughout the day and all are welcome to drop by.

It is not all about engineering here at Up and Under, we need to make money, but we will do good stuff with it!

Latest Project - Getting Ready for Summer

When we say we work all over the UK we mean it!  Today’s project has a bit of summer promise and a hint of showbiz glamour.

The weather will be better for the holidays

Working with Cormac Solutions, for Cornwall Council, we recently undertook inspections of a range of retaining walls around harbours and beaches.  The council are obviously being proactive in ensuring that we all have safe and enjoyable holidays this summer.

The second part of the project is where the showbiz glamour comes in, no not our team of engineers, attractive as they might be, but the footbridge we were tasked with inspecting was built on Challenge Anneka back in 1991 - for those of a certain age that will bring up memories of helicopters and cat suits, but we better not go there!

It may have Challenged Anneka............. ;o)

Using industrial rope access our engineers - and that is what they are, with qualifications and everything - carried out a detailed, hands on inspection of the whole structure, later preparing a report of their findings. And best of all we were able to keep the bridge largely open throughout the works.

So Cornwall is ready to receive visitors and we have another happy customer - want to join them? Call 01270 58961

5