Author: Lucy Wood

The Westgrove Group pledges it’s support for Mental Health Awareness Week. Hosted by the Mental Health Foundation, this year the theme is ‘Anxiety’, a common feeling that can sometimes get out of control.

We all feel anxious from time to time. Anxiety is a natural response to the uncertain world around us. For example, in the current cost-of-living crisis, more than a third of adults feel anxious about their financial situation. But it’s important that we recognise and respond when we feel anxious, so that our anxiety doesn’t become overwhelming.

Here at The Westgrove Group, we take the Mental Health of our colleagues and those around us very seriously. We’re taking this opportunity to talk about Mental Health and start the conversation. This week we are providing our colleagues with a Mental Health Toolkit.  We want our colleagues to know that if they are struggling there are lots of ways they can reach out for support.

Mental Health Toolkit

We have Mental Health First Aiders in the business and all Colleagues are offered Mental Health Awareness training via our e-leaning programme.

Through our partnership with the Retail Trust, our colleagues have access to free and completely confidential advice and support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and access to the Retail Trust wellbeing portal where they can create their own personalised wellbeing toolkit.

We provide our colleagues with free access to Mind Over Mountains, the well-being and mental health charity who run outdoor therapeutic events throughout the year.  Mind Over Mountains believe that time in nature, coupled with professional support is a powerful way to build resilience, talk without pressure and find stillness; restoring mental health, naturally.

If you are struggling with your mental health, we urge you to take the first step and reach out.

The Mental Health Foundation provide a list of charities and organisations that offer help and support directly to people with mental health problems – Click here.

The Westgrove Group is pleased to continue its partnership and founding patronage with the well-being and mental health charity, Mind Over Mountains. 

The facilities management company based in Warrington has pledged its support to the charity for 2023, helping people to access the mental health support they need through outdoor experiences combined with professional coaching and counselling support.

The charity was founded by Alex Staniforth in 2018 with the belief that everyone deserves access to the tools they need to stay mentally and physically well and a vision that could best be delivered through engagement with the outdoors. Westgrove have continued their role as a founding patron for a second year to provide generous financial assistance which will enable the charity to support people facing challenging life circumstances.

Claire Mckinley-Smith, Group Managing Director of The Westgrove Group said: “We’ve worked with Alex for many years in his role as Mental Health Brand Ambassador for Westgrove. He provides our colleagues with mental health and well-being support, and it is a privilege to continue this relationship as founding patron of his charity, Mind Over Mountains.”

Looking after our employee’s wellbeing is of paramount importance to us and we’re pleased to be able to provide our colleagues across the UK with funded places and to help make Mind Over Mountains accessible to all”. 

Alex Staniforth, co-founder of Mind Over Mountains said: “We all know how important well-being is. As a fledgling charity with big ambitions, I’m so grateful that Westgrove have continued their support and got behind our vision to make a genuine difference in the community – I’m looking forward to seeing this partnership grow even stronger over the year ahead”.

Through the partnership, Westgrove colleagues will benefit from access to Mind Over Mountains walks and retreats across the UK, well-being resources, group coaching sessions, fundraising events and virtual and physical team challenges throughout the year to support their physical and mental well-being at work.

This week is Sun Awareness Week and we’re sharing some tips with our colleagues on how to stay safe in the sun.

Sun Safety Code

Slip on a long sleeved shirt with a collar and trousers etc. ideally made from material with an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) of 50+.

Slop on plenty of sunscreen and lip balm with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher. Apply sunscreen 20 minutes before going out in the sun and reapply every two hours.

Slap on a hat that shades the face, head, ears, and neck where possible and wear attachable brims and neck flaps when wearing a hard hat.

Seek shade, particularly when you take breaks.
Slide on wrap around sunglasses that are close fitting to protect your eyes.

Slurp plenty of water to ensure you do not dehydrate.

Remember SLIP, SLOP, SLAP, SEEK and SLURP!

We are delighted to announce that Westgrove have won a whopping TEN Regional Awards in the British Security Industry Association (BSIA) British Security Awards, 2023.

Westgrove have a magnificent array of Security Colleagues and teams across the business and we are proud to see their hard work over the past 12 months is being recognised in the industry.

Westgrove’s Regional BSIA Award Winners are;

BEST TEAM – Touchwood Shopping Centre Security Team

BEST TEAM – Templars Square Shopping Centre Security Team

OUTSTANDING ACT – Kyle Sands – Telford Shopping Centre

OUTSTANDING ACT – Ryan Griffin – Willow Place Shopping Centre

OUTSTANDING ACT – Rodney Gould – The Galleries Shopping Centre

OUTSTANDING ACT – Damon Kosmalski Pearson – Riverside Shopping Centre, Hemel Hempstead

OUTSTANDING ACT – Imran Hanif – The Moor

SERVICE TO THE CUSTOMER – Asa Abraham – Queens Square Shopping Centre

BEST NEWCOMER – Kyle Farrelly-Reid – Spindles Town Square Shopping Centre

BEST NEWCOMER – Jack Davenport – Templars Square Shopping Centre

We were told that the standard of nominations this year was exceptional and the judging panel had a very difficult job shortlisting the winners. Well done to all of our nominees and regional winners and good luck in the national finals which are being held at the Grand Connought Rooms in London on the 21st June!

Our people are what make us special. From saving lives and preventing crime to helping people in need and much more. Our Reward and Recognition scheme is our way of saying thank you to our Colleagues for the amazing work that they do each and every day, often going above and beyond in their role.

Well done to all our winners and everyone who has been nominated for an award this quarter – you are all amazing!

Our 2023 Quarter 1 winners are:

Team of the Quarter

Touchwood Shopping Centre

Colleague of the Quarter

Alex Daisey – The Moor Shopping Centre

Newcomer of the Quarter

Winner: Nicole Carney – QVC, Knowsley

Runner Up: James Horner – Touchwood Shopping Centre

Site Manager of the Quarter

James Gradwell – Houndshill Shopping Centre

H&S Champion of the Quarter

Kevin Harvoutt – Ryemarket Shopping Centre

Service Excellence of the Quarter

• Matthew Groves – Riverside Shopping Centre
  • Came up with a new H&S solution which is now used on site
• Spindles Town Square
  • Undertook a massive water clean up operation when the vents on the roof failed
• Ben Pickering – Willow Place Shopping Centre
  • Identified a violent offender and recovered stock worth £300 for a tennant
• Kevin Harvoutt & Carl Williams – Ryemarket Shopping Centre
  • Reunited an elderly gentleman with some misssing cash

Outstanding Act of the Quarter

• Alun Boon – St Johns Shopping Centre
  • Reunited a lady with dementia with her family after a few hours
• Muhammad Younis, Rayan Choudhary & Jonathan Chandler – Royal Priors Shopping Centre
  • Provided first aid to an unconscious female and potentially saved her life
• Nigel Ridgway – Houndshill Shopping Centre
  • Administered first aid to an elderly gentleman who had a head injury

Congratulations to all our winning colleagues and to everyone who was nominated in Quarter 1.

If you wish to nominate a colleague for a Reward & Recognition award, click here.

To see a list of all our previous winners, click here.

The Westgrove Group based in Warrington, has fought off stiff international competition to scoop a prestigious RoSPA Award, demonstrating its commitment to health and safety excellence.

Westgrove won a RoSPA Gold Award in the Health & Safety Performance category, demonstrating its dedication to ensuring its colleagues get home safely at the end of every working day.

This is Westgrove’s second successful year on achieving a RoSPA Gold Award.

The RoSPA Health and Safety Awards is the largest occupational health and safety awards programme in the UK. Now into its 67th year, the Awards have almost 2,000 entries every year, covering nearly 50 countries and a reach of over seven million employees. The programme recognises organisations’ commitment to continuous improvement in the prevention of accidents and ill health at work, looking at entrants’ overarching health and safety management systems, including practices such as leadership and workforce involvement.

While most awards are non-competitive – recognising individual organisations’ achievements – competitive awards are presented in 20 industry sectors and for specialist areas of health and safety management.

Westgrove Head of Health, Safety & Compliance, Angela Crawford said “The RoSPA Gold Award is a fantastic achievement, and recognition of all the hard work, commitment and support within all areas of the business, to ensure the health, safety, and wellbeing of all our colleagues.”

Julia Small, RoSPA’s Achievements Director, said:

“Accidents at work and work-related ill health don’t just have huge financial implications or cause major disruption – they significantly impact an individual’s quality of life. That’s why good safety performance deserves to be recognised and rewarded.

“We are thrilled that Westgrove has won a RoSPA Award and would like to congratulate them on showing an unwavering commitment to keeping their employees, clients and customers safe from accidental harm and injury.”

Sponsored by Croner-i, the RoSPA Awards scheme is the longest-running of its kind in the UK, and receives entries from organisations across the globe, making it one of the most sought-after achievement awards for the health and safety industry.

The Westgrove Group was founded by Group Chairmen Simon Whittle and Steve Fives.  Based in Warrington, Cheshire, Westgrove employs over 1000 colleagues and specialises in providing security, cleaning, technical services and customer service to shopping centres and mixed-use destinations, corporate offices, business parks and manufacturing throughout the UK.  Following a successful 25-year history, the company expanded in 2020 to add technical services to enhance its well-established award-winning soft services provision. 

The Westgrove Group Annual Reward and Recognition Awards are our way of saying thank you to our Colleagues for the amazing work that they do each and every day, often going above and beyond in their role. 

This year we have had some outstanding nominations from life savers in the outstanding act category, colleagues who have supported our partners by going above and beyond with Service Excellence, Teams that work well together and Colleagues who excel in their role and much more!

We are very proud to announce this years Annual Reward & Recognition Winners:

Site Manager of The Year – Muhammad Younis, Royal Priors Shopping Centre

Team of The Year – Castle Quay Shopping Centre Team

Health & Safety Champion – Mark Driscoll, Touchwood Shopping Centre

Colleague of The Year – Paul Seddon, Westgrove Technical Services

Newcomer of The Year – Michelle Fogg, St Johns Shopping Centre

Chairman’s Commendation Award – Ryemarket Shopping Centre Team

CSR of The Year – Jane Gerrard, Spindles Town Square

CSR of The Year – Touchwood Team; Adil Hussain, Colin Robert O`Neill & Clare Danks

Outstanding Act of The Year – Christine Preece, Telford Centre

Outstanding Act of The Year – Kyle Sands, Telford Centre

Outstanding Act of The Year – Castle Quay Security Team; Hameed Smith, Imran Younis, Jonathan Chandler, Owen Jarrett

Outstanding Act of The Year – Damon Kosmalski-Pearson, Riverside Shopping Centre (Hemel)

Service Excellence of The Year – Antony Yates & Christopher Ashley, Birchwood Park

Service Excellence of The Year – Steve Allen, Haymarket Shopping Centre

Service Excellence of The Year – Joanne O’Neill, Westgrove Head Office

Our Senior Management Team will be visiting all of our Annual Award Winners to present them with their trophies.

Huge congratulations to all of this year’s winners, finalists and nominees. You are all amazing!!