Cheque presentation for Myton Hospice
After a busy 12 months of fundraising, we were delighted to welcome Martin Watts from Myton Hospice, our 2023 charity of the year, to present him with a cheque for £9,696 to go towards the amazing work that they do. Those money-raising events included a pyjama day, quiz night and a bake-off competition, topped off by a thrilling skydive by three Nationwide daredevils – read about that here. Thanks to everyone who contributed towards this great fundraising achievement! Pictured (from left): NWD MD John Whalley, the Skydive trio of Dave Wilson, Amanda Bruce, and Cat Feehan, and Martin Watts of Myton Hospice.
Nationwide daredevils raise £9,080 for Myton Hospice
On Sunday, 26th November, three brave members of our team joined #TeamMyton for a skydive at Langar Airfield. Amanda Bruce, Cat Feehan and Dave Wilson performed the freefall from 14,000ft to raise funds to support Myton Hospice, a cause that is very close to our hearts at Nationwide. The Myton Hospices do incredible work, offering help via their patient and family support services, and in the community through Myton at Home, helping thousands of people each year living with terminal illnesses. Myton is not just about providing excellent end-of-life care, they also offer care and support to patients and their loved ones from the moment they are told that their illness cannot be cured. However, Myton needs to raise £10.5 million of the £13.25 million needed each year to enable them to provide their services free of charge. The three daredevils set a personal target of £6,000 collectively, but they smashed that to raise much more for this incredible charity – eventually raising a total of £9,080! It was an awesome experience for the three ‘high flyers’ and proves that the sky really is the limit when you set your sights on something. Pictured (from left): Amanda, Cat, and Dave – they would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who took the time to make a donation, it really has helped to make a difference to so many people during their most difficult time.
Nationwide Windows set the standard with PAS2030 installation
Nationwide Windows Limited has once again shown its commitment to being at the forefront of innovation and best practice by completing its first pilot PAS2030 property installation – the revised standard that ensures projects are ready to meet Government, industry and client requirements. Sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), this PAS standard is for the specification for the installation of energy efficiency measures in existing dwellings and insulation in residential park homes. The primary objective of PAS2030 is ‘the provision of a robust, uniformly applicable EEM (Energy Efficient Measure) installation process that will assist installers that comply with its requirements in full to demonstrate that their installation processes are capable of providing installation to specification and in accordance with the Client’s expectations.’ “We had already been certified to the previous PAS2030 standard that was linked to the ‘Green Deal’,” says Chris Costall, Compliance Director at Nationwide. “However, the fundings model for that initiative did not work for fenestration at the time. “Kev Caveney, (Director of Commercial Sales) and myself saw the importance and potential of the revised standard very early on. We became certified early in 2022 and completed our first pilot PAS2030 property installation in April. We’ve now started the main phase of works, with multiple EEMs being installed as part of the scheme, including external wall insulation. “We are also assisting multiple existing and new clients with our in-depth knowledge of the PAS2030 standard and working with them on projects, from conception to design and delivery. “By being PAS2030 accredited, clients have the peace of mind that they are working with a contractor that is certified and competent, also satisfying the requirement of a turnkey solution dictated by Government funding streams.”
Living Wage accreditation for Nationwide Windows & Doors
Nationwide Windows & Doors has demonstrated its commitment as a responsible employer by becoming Living Wage accredited. NWD has alway taken a voluntary stand to ensure that members of its team are valued and earn a wage which allows them to live, not just survive, and this latest certification backs up that promise. Employing 280 staff at its Rugby headquarters and throughout various depots across England and Wales, NWD, along with its retail sister company Future Homes, now join more than 12,000 UK businesses who pay the real Living Wage, the only UK wage rate based on the cost of living. “With interest rates and fuel costs rising, and the UK in the midst of a cost of living crisis, it’s important that now more than ever British workers are paid fairly and that businesses realise and value their contributions,” says John Whalley, NWD Managing Director. “At Nationwide, we’ve always considered our workforce to be part of the Nationwide family. That’s why we’ve always been committed to paying a wage that we consider fair, rather than sticking to the minimum wage. It’s important to make our team members feel valued and an important part of our success. “We’re very proud to now be Living Wage accredited, showing our public commitment to fair play and being responsible employers.”
Nationwide’s switch to Rapierstar fasteners keeps production and quality on track
Caption: Daryl Cashmore (left), Operations Director of Nationwide Windows & Doors with Mark Calpin, Technical Consultant at Rapierstar. Specialist fastener supplier Rapierstar has stepped in to keep production on track and help maintain quality consistency at Nationwide Windows and Doors after its supplier of over 20 years made the sudden announcement that it was withdrawing from the UK market. In the space of just a week, Rapierstar was able to ensure supply continuity by identifying all the fastener requirements across Nationwide’s factory in Rugby, and deliver new stock of the 50 different types of fasteners it uses. The vast majority of the Rapierstar StarPVCU branded fasteners introduced were like-for-like replacements available immediately from its UK stocks, which meant a rapid transition could be made with no changes required in the way Nationwide’s team assembles its PVC-U windows and doors. Nationwide is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers and installers of windows and doors for the social housing and new build sectors, with an equally strong retail division that was the foundation of the business when it first started in 1986. Following a management buyout in 2007, the company has grown rapidly with an annual turnover approaching £40m and a team of around 450 people across its seven-acre production, showroom and administrative sites in Rugby and seven depots strategically positioned across the UK. In partnering with Rapierstar, the company will benefit from access to an extensive range of high quality fasteners with excellent availability, backed by specialist technical and stock management support. This package of services will help Nationwide optimise quality and maximise productivity, as well as supporting it as it grows as a result of the investments it plans for later in the year. Daryl Cashmore, operations director at Nationwide Windows and Doors said: “Rapierstar ensured we had a smooth transition from our previous supplier within a week, which was so crucial to ensure we could provide continuity to our customers. It was a seamless transition, which we actually thought would be difficult given how long we’d worked with our previous supplier, with Mark Calpin and the Rapierstar team responding quickly to get up to speed with what we needed. “We look forward to developing a strong, long term partnership with Rapierstar, as we do with all our major suppliers, to maintain the high quality standards we set ourselves and protect our reputation for delivering on-time to our customers.” Mark Calpin, technical consultant at Rapierstar added: “Having worked closely with Eurocell for many years, taking time to understand their profile systems inside-out and co-developing a detailed Recommended Fixings Manual (RFM), we were able to hit the ground running when we got the call from Daryl. Equally important though was the depth of fastener stocks we hold here in the UK, which meant we could deliver large volumes of our StarPVCU screws in a short timeframe to meet Nationwide’s regular usage.”
Nationwide Windows first to offer new Prosecure 1 Star Cylinder from Mila
Nationwide Windows was quick off the mark when Mila launched its new anti-bump 1* BSI Kitemarked cylinder at the end of 2021. The Rugby-based fabricator switched to the ProSecure cylinder for all its composite and PVC-U doors, pairing it with Mila’s popular 2* SupaSecure stainless steel security handle to provide trade, retail and commercial customers with a simple route to maximum 3* TS007 security compliance. Mila’s new enhanced security 1* cylinder is accredited to PAS24, TS007 and Secured by Design and comes with the added reassurance of the Kitemark which guarantees that quality and performance is tested and audited regularly via an independent 3rd party, says the company. For Nationwide, the 1 star/2 star combination is a practical and good value option, particularly suitable for its new build and social housing refurbishment contracts. It offers maximum security compliance, but still gives residents the option to order any additional keys quickly and easily from any high street locksmith. Daryl Cashmore, Nationwide Windows’ operations director, said: “For us, this is a solution which works across all our markets, where PAS24 and Secured by Design compliance are pretty much standard requirements now. ‘Buying both the cylinder and the handle from Mila means we get top quality products which are designed to be fitted together, a range of handle lever options and finishes, and guaranteed continuity of supply. “Mila became our hardware supplier of choice in 2018 and since then they have lived up to all our expectations. Quality and service is great and, even during last year’s supply chain crisis, they didn’t let us down.” The addition of the Mila ProSecure 1* TS007 cylinder to Mila’s range means customers now have three levels of choice when it comes to cylinder security, depending on the application and price point. At the top of the range, there is the Mila ProSecure 3* anti-snap cylinder, which meets the Master Locksmith’s Association coveted Sold Secure Diamond Standard, in the middle is the new enhanced security ProSecure 1* cylinder with anti-bump technology, and, at entry level, there is Mila’s ProLinea BreakSafe™ cylinder.
The importance of installing trust
Adrian Pavey, Commercial Director of Nationwide Windows and Doors, argues that social housing professionals need to think about more than just the final product… It’s easy for installation companies who work in the private sector to have a tunnel-vision approach of focusing solely on the final product and how it impacts the building or home it is being fitted into. For those working with local authorities and housing associations, however, there are many more things to consider. Everyone working in the social housing sector has a responsibility to improve not just the homes they work on, but also the community in which they work, and leave a positive impact on those in that community. These things are not separate, though. Improving homes Refurbishment, upgrade and repair work in people’s homes carries additional complexities than when working on new build or empty properties. Safety and making tenants feel comfortable is so important in the work we do; they are trusting you to come into their home, so there needs to be that level of respect. These differences between occupied and empty homes were addressed for the first time during the COVID briefings in 2020, where guidance for tradespeople working in homes was first introduced, showing that in order to make tenants happy it’s vital that they feel safe. Tenant satisfaction One of the main KPIs for local authorities is tenant satisfaction, and placing a greater emphasis on the service plays a huge role in this. When tenants are having work carried out in the home, the local authority is being represented by the supplier, which means they need to know that they will provide an excellent service to leave tenants happy with the work being carried out. If they’re happy with how their windows and doors are fitted, for example, they will have a much more positive feeling towards their housing provider. They don’t need to know the detailed regulations, but they will want the windows to help save money on their bills and keep them safer, as well as being fitted by installers who are polite and friendly. Improving housing In recent years, there has been lots of pressure on local authorities and housing associations to increase the performance of housing. Environmental and safety regulations have meant social housing providers need to be more conscious of their impact on the planet and need to be building homes which are efficient and secure. Arguably, the best way to improve the efficiency of housing is through windows and doors, and there are many options available to help improve a home’s performance. Fire safety performance is also vital, and this too can be improved through doors. After Grenfell, much more stringent safety standards were put in place, and we were at the forefront of this. In either case, local authorities are often under pressure to conform with new regulations first, and as these are constantly changing, it’s important to work with a supplier who is investing in innovation for better products to improve homes. Support It’s important to also give back to the communities in which we work. The best way to do this is to support local charities and community schemes who give directly back to the people of that community. Companies can often just tick boxes when it comes to regulations and meeting certain standards, but committing to making a genuine difference to people’s lives is something which is very important, especially to those working in social housing, where community is everything. Responsibility Social housing poses many different challenges to local authorities, housing associations and suppliers. The number of different areas which they need to focus on is much greater and there is a responsibility for everyone to improve their communities as well as homes. Community is at the centre of everything that local authorities do, so it can’t be neglected. In order to improve tenant satisfaction, it’s vital that everyone is dedicated to improving communities, housing and homes.
Charity ‘goes wild’ for £1,000 Nationwide donation
Caption: Kevin Caveney of Nationwide Windows & Doors and Rebecca Dermody-Simmons of EEM present the cheque to Mellers Primary School pupils. A charity working to make the natural world more accessible to inner-city children has benefitted from a £1,000 donation from Nationwide Windows & Doors. Wild Things, based in Nottingham and Derby, were “surprised and delighted” to receive the funding after being nominated by the winner of a prize draw held by Nationwide on their stand at the recent CIH Housing 2021 exhibition. Rebecca Dermody-Simmons, Chief Executive at Efficiency East Midlands (EEM), was the lucky winner of the prize draw and knew exactly where she wanted the donation to go. “I felt a big responsibility to ensure it went to a charity who would really benefit from the generous amount,” she says. “I have known about Wild Things for a while and they provide such an amazing experience for children, which has become even more important following the recent lockdowns. “I hope the donation will give them the opportunity to get more children outdoors and enjoying the activities they offer – I certainly enjoyed tracking through the woods with them on the day we handed over the cheque!” Kate Milman, Forest School and Environmental Education Worker at Wild Things, says: “We were surprised and delighted to be selected for this generous donation towards our project – especially during a time when finding funding for our work is becoming increasingly challenging. “We set up Wild Things 25 years ago, with the main aim of helping children and young people access positive and potentially life changing experiences in the natural world that they wouldn’t otherwise have access to. Each year we work with approximately 500 children and young people, the majority of whom will never have spent time in a woodland environment before. “The natural world offers so many emotional, social and educational benefits, especially during these difficult times, and donations like this mean that we can make the benefits and joy of time in the natural world accessible to more inner-city children.” From left: Rebecca Dermody-Simmons (EEM), Kevin Caveney (Nationwide Windows & Doors) and Kate Milman (Wild Things). The £1,000 donation will go towards a future six-week Forest School programme with children from Mellers Primary School in Nottingham, and Kevin Caveney, Director of Commercial Sales at Nationwide, joined some of the pupils to see Wild Things in action. “Our mission at Nationwide is to improve communities, housing and homes,” says Kevin. “After meeting the team and seeing their great work, it’s clear that Wild Things has a hugely positive impact on the children and the communities that they work with. “It was wonderful to see how relaxed and happy they were at being given the opportunity to immerse themselves in the wild. We’re so pleased that the donation has gone to such a great cause.” Find out more about Wild Things and the work they do at: www.wildthings.org.uk.
Nationwide make a smart debut at the CIH Show
From left to right: Kevin Caveney (Nationwide Windows), Ryan Bromley (Kubu) and Dave Gomersall (Nationwide Windows). Nationwide Windows, in partnership with Kubu, returned from Housing, the Chartered Institute of Housing’s annual conference and housing festival, which was held in Manchester, with a number of firm enquiries for the revolutionary smart-sensor technology in windows and doors. Held over three days at Manchester Central, there were over 6,000 attendees, 350+ speakers, and 350 exhibitors including Nationwide Windows at the event. Housing 2021 was described by the organisers as a must-attend event for local authorities, housing associations, key partners and suppliers, government, housebuilders, and developers. The Nationwide Windows theme of “making windows & doors smart” showcased a number of products on their stand that work with Kubu smart-sensor technology. This included the new Kubu window lock range with shoot bolt and standard security espags, and importantly, was the first public preview of the new Kubu window smart-sensor. Also on display was the Kubu multi-point door lock, featuring 25mm hooks and a 20mm compression deadbolt with the Kubu smart-sensor fully operational within Nationwide’s composite doors. It was also an opportunity for Kubu to present the ‘Kubu Connected Home’ philosophy with Nationwide Windows and the partnership opportunities open to housebuilders, local authorities, housing associations and other specifiers in the sector, as Ryan Bromley, head of tech for Kubu points out. He said: “This was a hugely exciting opportunity for us, working closely with Nationwide Windows, as it was the first public premier of the new window smart-sensor. It was also important to be able to speak to influencers at the sharp end about our vision for a Kubu connected home in the future.” Kevin, Caveney, commercial director of Nationwide Windows who was part of the conference team added: “We already have an idea of how a smart future will look like with Kubu, but the response from the show was overwhelming. “The opportunities for us are considerable as we look to embrace the smart home market through commercial specifiers. They’re hugely interested in becoming part of this smart revolution too and we’re already engaging with a number of potential suitors.”
Nationwide Windows launch trainee installer scheme to futureproof quality
Nationwide Windows & Doors has launched an independent pilot programme to provide quality training to the next generation of installers, creating real career opportunities and helping to improve communities, housing and homes. The scheme has been structured to provide a blended approach, including classroom education alongside both offsite and onsite training, tackling the skills gap and futureproofing Nationwide’s high-quality standards to tenants. Starting in June, the first batch comprised of two recent school leavers under 18-year-olds, with four more trainees who had previous careers in other industries joining the programme in July. Enrolees begin training as competent labourers, partnering with existing installation teams and supported by Nationwide’s dedicated training team, with those showing potential given the option to progress further and become professional installers. Additional training will be fully funded by Nationwide, who will also be providing NVQ qualifications and other nationally recognised qualifications to demonstrate competence. Led by Helen Owens, Learning & Development Manager, the Nationwide Training Team also consists of Master Fitter Simon Taylor and GQA Assessor & Trainer Dave Naylor. “As a company, we have always been passionate about training and improving opportunities for our staff and communities,” says Chris Costall, Nationwide’s Compliance Director. “This programme has created a real buzz already and it’s great to see the candidates taking to the course with such enthusiasm. “Not only are they getting the benefit of Simon’s vast installation expertise & Dave’s training & assessing knowledge, but working with our teams on site is also giving them valuable ‘boots on the ground’ experience, ensuring our high-quality standards to clients is maintained.” Initially taking place in Nottingham, the scheme is expected to be rolled out nationally. One company working with Nationwide to deliver the scheme is award-winning social housing provider Nottingham City Homes (NCH), who manage 27,500 homes in the city. Adrian Cheetham, Director of Property Services at NCH, says: “As a major local employer, we welcome the opportunity to work with our key contractors on initiatives that see more local people being able to access jobs and training. We’re delighted to be able to work with Nationwide to offer this kind of blended training.”