Friday Fun - Ladies Night

As you might imaging when the ladies at Up and Under plan a night out it isn't normal.  So it was this week when a group of staff and friends visited the local climbing wall.

Getting started - everyone off the ground

The night, supported by the Group,  started off with a little traversing and then got more serious as the newly initiated climbers began their assault on the wall's various problems.  This wall isn't at all easy being either vertical or overhanging. 

As the evening progressed everyone got higher and higher, coming to grips with the unfamiliar skills.  On top of the climbing the ladies had to be introduced to the intricacies of harnesses, ropes and belaying techniques.

 

Lorna and Sue

Emma at the big red button

Kaye crossing a red line

Sue about to reach the top

I believe Sue was the star of the night, not just for her ascents to the top of the wall, but for not breaking a single finger nail ;o)  From the comments I have heard it looks as though this might not be a one off.

Thanks to Lorna for organising the evening.

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)

Up and Under Foundation - Annual Review

We work very hard to do 'Good Stuff' for our clients then use some of the money we earn to do more 'Good Stuff' here is a link to our 2012 review.

Annual Review

Thanks for helping make all this possible.

Safety Update - European Week for Safety

European Week for Safety and Health at Work, starts TODAY!, use this time to spotlight an issue, or start a new initiative in your business.

The campaign is backed by safety organisations across Europe and focuses on the importance of good leadership and worker involvement in cutting down accidents and ill health.

To order free resources and find out about activities you could do in your organisation during European Week for Safety and Health at Work, visit the 

European campaign webpage.

What are you going to do?

Weekend Volunteering

Two members of the Up and Under team spent the weekend at the Conway Centre on Anglesey assisting with adventure activities over the weekend.

One spent two days with groups walking in the Glyders.  One day was graced with near perfect weather conditions.  The views from Tryfan were exceptional, especially when nearby Glyder fach was shrouded in tumbling cloud.

The other team member spent two days coastal traversing, assisting the centre instructor to safely facilitate two groups of ten youngsters in climbing and open water swimming activities around the dramatic coastline of Holy Island.

We have supported less well off youngsters in attending this centre for a number of years and this type of interaction helps us to understand both the needs of, and the benefits to, the young people we help.

On Saturday evening another 100 people got to have their own Olympic Torch moment when once more Andy's Torch did the rounds.  For some this was the highlight of another fantastic weekend at the Conway Centre.

South Cheshire Business Awards

The Up and Under Group

So we were chuffed and why not, this award is given to the organisation judged to be the best employer in S Cheshire and we were chosen.  Thanks to everyone who made this possible.

I think the smiles say it all.  This is a reward for a lot of hard work that goes in throughout the year.  Yesterday Andy was on the winner's show at redshift radio featuring Up and Under, ILX group and the S Cheshire Chamber.  You can hear the show on Redshift's listen  again feature

Photography www.ashforddalyphotography.com/

Happy Anniversary

Brian Garner, who was the Up and Under storeman in the early 1990's, recently celebrated his 60th wedding aniversary with his wife Kath.  Brian was active in the scouting movement as a leader when Andy Fewtrell, our MD, was but a lad.

In the 1970s Andy worked under Brian's guidance when building scenery for scout gang shows.  Years later Brian Joined Up and Under as a capable storeman and handyman before taking what is proving to be a long and fruitful retirement.

All at The Up and Under Group wish Brian and Kath and their family all the best for their future.

Just to make you smile

Are we are mamils

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-10965608

Well it made me smile (until my wife goes shopping for shoes that is)

Up and Under Group 138th in UK Consultants List

The Up and Under Group stands a creditable 138th on the list of UK consultants compiled by the New Civil Engineer for 2010.

The figures are published in the NCE Consultants File throw up a number of interesting things; one, that we are twice the size of Chesterfield Borough Council Engineering Services and that we are 37 places (only!) behind Sir Robert McAlpine Design in terms of staff employed - now there's a challenge for 2011.  There were only 63 companies with 100 or more Civil/Structural staff and 93 with 50 or more.

Who was first?  Well at least, by Civil and Structural staff numbers, it was one of our clients - Mouchel - with 6850 staff and a £740M turnover.

Directors Cribb

Ok we got you with the title, but you are not expecting country house splendour here are you? You are right.

Taking full advantage of the recent chilly weather Andy and Simon set out to dig themselves a mountain top retreat.

So the weather started off fine, but soon deteriorated.

But with a bit of shovel work (about 4 tonne) a home was excavated and the kettle put to good use.
For those with a head for the figures the snowhole had two entrances, three rooms, two wardrobes. was 7m from front to back and had a maximum span of 2.5m. The snow was over a metre thick over the highest part of the cave. The temperature inside was a consistent zero degrees whilst outside it was horrible!

£2010- Oh! in 2010

The Up and Under Group set out to raise £20,100 in 2010 for the children’s charity The Up and Under Foundation

It is normally this time of year that we make personal resolutions that will make us better people in the year ahead. As a company the Up and Under Group is no different.

Over the past few years we have raised money to help local youngsters do things that might otherwise be denied them due to lack of funds. This money is administered by the Up and Under Foundation. Last year company MD Andy Fewtrell and his wife Lorna raised more than £2k in sponsorship by completing two simultaneous marathons. This money helped to establish the Eric Swan Bursary.

This year we are setting a far greater challenge for the whole company. Initially we thought we could try to raise £2010 in 2010, but that seemed a bit of a small challenge for Up and Under so the goal is to raise £20100.00 in 2010. To make this a true Company effort every one of our 30 strong team has pledged to raise a sum of money during the year. In keeping with the theme the pledges are either £2.01, £20.10, £201.00 or £2010. We will be looking to have a number of events during the year that people can get involved in, more details will be announced and published on our Blog. Meanwhile if you are considering doing a challenge during the year and would like to support the Foundation we would be happy to hear from you.

More details of the charity can be found at: www.upandundergroup.com/community.html

When we advertised for a Contracts Delivery Manager for Infrastructure Management we did not expect the result that we got. I am, however, happy to report that the result is a better one than we could have imagined.

After careful consideration of the applications we received it was concluded that the best solution would be to offer Miles a transfer from Specialist Contracts to IM and to employ Richard Herries, who has been assisting with IM works for the past few weeks, as Director of Specialist Contracts.

Miles we all know, has a great deal of experience in the type of work undertaken by IM will no doubt do a great job with here. Richard has years of experience, both in the UK and overseas in delivering projects and managing teams delivering construction projects in the Telecoms sector. It is hoped that this experience will benefit Specialist Contracts in the coming years.

The new appointments will take effect from 1st June 2009 with May being a period of transition. I trust that we will all wish them well as they take on their new challenging roles.