As one of West Midland’s fastest-growing retailers for specialist plumbing and heating supplies, Bell Plumbing Supplies wanted to use its success to encourage the next generation into the sector.
Even though 17-year-old Luke Gayden and 22-year-old Jamie Lee O’Neill both joined Bell Plumbing Supplies as trade supplier apprentices in 2022, their entries into the construction sector were very different.
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James Anderson of D.E.P.H.E.R has been unveiled as the winner of the SGS Engineering Local Hero Awards, which celebrates tradespeople who go above and beyond to support their communities. A Burnley plumber who started a charity to help elderly and vulnerable people which has been championed by Hugh Grant has today been named the winner of the SGS Engineering Local Hero Award.
Earlier this year, UK residents were asked to nominate ‘hero’ tradespeople in their area who have gone above and beyond to help their community with their generosity. A host of nominations for selfless tradespeople flooded in from across the country, and the experts at SGS Engineering then shortlisted seven finalists for a public vote.
Demand has skyrocketed, but tradespeople have also been hit with a series of challenges, so Rated People explores the true effects of ‘the home improvement boom’ and looks at what’s in store for.
As part of this year’s National Apprenticeship Week , UK plumbing register WaterSafe spoke to 33-year-old Jodie Dixon, an apprentice with WaterSafe approved business 365 Plumbing Ltd in North Devon. Jodie shares her thoughts on why apprenticeships aren’t just for school leavers and what makes a great apprentice.
Please tell us about your apprenticeship and how you got started
The Heating Installer Awards has announced its regional winners as well as the finalists for its Rising Star and Most Sustainable Installer categories. The shortlists have been decided by a panel of experts including representatives from the awards’ partners Armacell, CIPHE, Danfoss, LG and Polypipe, who recently scored all of the entries on problem solving, product knowledge and stand-out work. The panel was also joined by the Heating Installer Awards winner, Phil Metcalf, from Metcalf Heating & Cooling.
Carshalton Boilers received a special visit from Sutton Mayor Cllr Trish Fivey and Deputy Mayor Cllr Annie Moral in recognition of its dedication to responding to the town’s heating and plumbing emergencies during the Covid-19 lockdown period.
A survey* of approved plumbers by the Water Regulation Advisory Scheme (WRAS) has shown how they see the Covid-19 pandemic impacting the industry in the long term.
Two thirds (68%) of those surveyed said things will change forever after the pandemic ends, with over half (59%) saying they expect social distancing and more stringent hygiene practices to continue indefinitely.
The pandemic has also made plumbers reconsider working practices going forward. While 15% think they may have to increase how much they charge after lockdown, some said they could cut fees instead to drive much-needed business.
Leading manufacturer of water pumps and pump systems, Wilo UK, has been awarded the AMP7 framework to supply Thames Water with wastewater pumps and associated equipment and engineering for eight years, including innovative systems with anti-clogging detection.
Wilo UK, part of the Wilo Group, is a leading premium provider of pumps and pump systems for building services, water management and industry, using smart solutions that bring together people, products and services.
Thames Water has appointed Wilo UK to its framework for the design, installation, product supply, maintenance, repair and site services of wastewater pumps and associated products.
Homeowners in need of plumbing work can breathe a sigh of relief, as the majority of plumbers (84 percent) have confirmed they are willing to work during the Coronavirus pandemic.
However, in the study conducted by the Water Regulation Advisory Scheme (WRAS) one in ten plumbers said customers are not observing the social distancing guidelines during visits, marking a cause of concern for some.
Whilst just over half (53%) felt current guidance on what constitutes as ‘emergency’ work is insufficient, leaving them to make their own decisions on what type of work to attend to, most (75 percent) are willing to tend to a burst pipe. The emergency jobs they are most willing to repair are:
