Businesses Working Together to Keep Worple Road Mews Clean

It just goes to show that when we work together we achieve great results.

Tom, our Town Ranger identified a problem with waste collections, flytipping and the general state of cleanliness of Worple Mews. Never shy of a challenge, Tom contacted the affected businesses and was able to lobby the relevant contractors to gain support for all parties involved to contribute towards keeping this area clean and tidy.

Sincere thanks to BID businesses Domestic & General, Sticks n Sushi, WagamamaPho and San Lorenzo for their continued efforts and joint responsibility for keeping this area clean, and to Veolia for maintaining the cobbled road and gullies.

We’re delighted to report that through our initiative, perseverance and strong business relationships, Worple Road Mews remains much improved.

   

Morrisons Solicitors Launch Staff Wellbeing Programme

Jenny Turner from Morrisons Solicitors LLP comments, “Staff wellbeing is an important part of achieving not only the firms goals but also each individuals goals. That’s why we launched a wellbeing programme, with initiatives such as fruit deliveries, wellbeing mentors, onsite massages as well as spine and posture checks.  The programme has already been received very well by our staff who are really engaging with the initiatives.

 

Staff wellbeing and their physical and mental health is of huge importance to the firm and there is a significant link between wellbeing at work and productivity. Mental Health in particular is growing so much in terms of education and people talking about it as openly as physical health, which is truly positive. The firm recognised that in the same way that we have a number of staff trained and certified in physical First Aid at Work, it made sense that staff are also trained in helping people with mental health issues.

 

When I did my physical First Aid training, it struck me how unlikely it would be that I would come across many of the circumstances I was trained for, but how very likely it was that I would come across someone who needed first aid mentally. I completed a full 2 day Mental Health First Aid course last year and can honestly say it was very eye opening and gave me the tools, confidence and understanding of how best I can help others. We now offer similar training to some staff in each of our offices so they can act as Wellbeing Mentors.

 

The Mentors are ‘go to’ people in all our offices for staff who may be struggling, they support staff in relation to their mental and physical wellbeing. Along with onsite massage, spine & posture checks, fruit deliveries and Wellbeing noticeboards, the Wellbeing Programme will keep growing with new ideas as initiatives, using surveys and voting to communicate and engage with our staff to gauge interest.

 

This programme is all in addition to our existing initiatives such as Private Medical Insurance, Birthday Leave & Voucher, Employee Discount website, Employee Support Hub, Volunteering Days, Flexible Working, and much more. We are always looking for new ideas, initiatives or contributors, as part of our drive to promote the best possible working environment for our staff and improve their wellbeing.”

 

Many of our Wimbledon BID businesses are doing great work within the Healthy Workplace arena and improving employee wellbeing at work. Do let us know if your business engages in similar activities or programmes, we’d love to hear about it.

Meet the Buyer for SMEs – The London Growth Hub

Are you a small business based in London and keen to sell to big brand retailers or the public sector?

The London Growth Hub, in partnership with small business support network Enterprise Nation, is delivering its new business support programme, Meet the Buyer. The purpose of the programme is to help small companies access buyers from street markets, through to major multinationals, with a view to test trading and securing new sales deals. These free events are due to kick off in October and will include support on how to pitch effectively and manage an on-going contract. They will be sector-specific with events for food & drink producers, fashion, beauty, digital, and clean tech entrepreneurs.

The full programme is expected to include buyers from major high street retailers plus procurement officers from Government departments. Evidence suggests accessing pitching sessions like these can be transformational for smaller firms, not only increasing the bottom line, but also awareness of products or services. We would be grateful if you could share this with your SMEs in your network who are ready to sell their products or services and would be interested in this programme. Further information and guidance on how to sign up can be found here:

 

https://www.growthhub.london/meet-the-buyer/

If you have any queries, please email GrowthHub@london.gov.uk

Say Communications Win 3 Gold Stevie Awards

Say Communications, a specialist healthcare and technology integrated communications agency based in Wimbledon, was recently awarded three gold Stevie Awards at the 2018 International Business Awards. The Stevie’s are the world’s premier business awards, with judges receiving over 3800 entries from more than 60 countries. Winning an award recognises excellence, innovation and outstanding performance in the workplace.

 

Say Communications was delighted to receive the prestigious ‘Public Relations Agency of the Year in Europe’ award as well as the ‘Communications or PR Campaign of the Year (Social Media)’ and ‘PR Innovation of the Year’ awards for their Think Toddler Sized crowdsourcing challenge, conducted on behalf of the Infant & Toddler Forum (ITF). Think Toddler Sized communicated directly with parents of young children, tapping into their expertise in order to draw out a variety of real world, practical solutions for implementing the ITF’s advice on healthy eating. The challenge was a great success, far exceeding its targets, generating 96 ideas from parents and ultimately achieving its wider goal of finding a practical solution for making mealtimes easier for parents.

 

Joint Managing Director and Head of the Healthcare Practice at Say Communications, Stefi Rucci, commented on the results, ‘We are delighted to be awarded with a Stevie Award for PR Agency of the Year in Europe for the sixth year in a row. This award demonstrates our continued commitment to delivering excellence on behalf of our clients. I am also very proud to see the team pick up two awards for the Think Toddler Sized Challenge campaign – it’s a great recognition of their hard work and efforts.’

Harnham gets muddy for mental health

10 employees from Wimbledon Data & Analytics recruitment specialist Harnham got down and dirty completing a Tough Mudder challenge for charity SANE.

Head of Marketing Rob Quirk commented, “We are thrilled to be supporting SANE. As a business, Harnham have always taken mental health very seriously. We all have friends and family who have suffered from mental illness and are fully aware of the struggle that the stigma surrounding mental health conditions can cause. 

“The work that SANE do is incredible and reflects our ethos of prioritising awareness and support; we provide a host of mental wellbeing benefits and initiatives, including an employee assistance program providing 24/7 counselling and advice.

“The day itself was scorching hot, but we made it through as a team. Crossing the start line together, we pushed ourselves to the limit, clambering over walls and each other to make it past each obstacle. 

“Only at the final hurdle, the self-explanatory ‘Electric Shock Therapy’, did we doubt ourselves. But our commitment to raising money for SANE and making it through as a team urged us on, and we crossed the finish line as one big, exhausted group. 

“We’re delighted to have raised £2,100 with the help of our friends and family for something we really believe in. Our two corporate sponsors, 4Mat and OrangeGenie both made significant donations, and provided us with endless support and encouragement as we trained.

They are so close to meeting their £3000 target so if you’d like to make a donations click here.

 

New Store Opening: Reclamation Furniture

A new store opens in Centre Court Shopping Centre.

Reclamation Furniture (RF) is a new London based brand that specialise in industrial furniture made with salvaged, recycled and reclaimed materials. Specialist in creating high quality oak and teak products, take a look through their stunning showroom store to see their unique products and good to know they can deliver too!

Take a sneak peak inside…

Reclamation Furniture

Centre Court Shopping Centre

Unit 210 (Upper Mall)

The Broadway

SW19 8YE

info@reclamationfurniture.co.uk 0208 944 2840

Fitness Space launch Corporate Membership Packages

The award-winning Fitness Space Wimbledon, where their unique philosophy is that you ‘Never Train Alone’ is now offering a 20% off Corporate Membership Packages for local workers in Wimbledon.

There is also NO JOINING FEE running until the end of September so don’t miss out on starting on your journey to fitness.

For a tour or more information, get in touch with them at wimbledon@fitnessspace.com or 020 8914 7819.

 

 

Operation Smile cycles RideLondon

On Sunday 29 July local charity, Operation Smile UK, saw a team of more than 40 riders take to the surrey countryside hoping to raise 130 smiles. The Prudential Ride London-Surrey 100 is one of the UK’s biggest cycling events of the year and an endurance test like no other. Developed by the Mayor of London in 2013, Prudential Ride London is the world’s greatest festival of cycling. We asked one rider why they chose Operation Smile…..The thing which really hit me was how quickly the children improved after surgery. I imagined it being impossible to feed for days afterwards but you can see almost straight away the impact of surgery.” – Benn Gooch, 2018 OSUK Rider.

 

It is hoped that with the 40 strong team, £20,000 could be raised from the 100 mile race. Although the donations are still coming in, that figure looks on track. This was great news for one Wimbledon rider, Mark Harbour – “I have two children of my own so when the opportunity arose to give a child a smile, I took it in a heartbeat. When a stranger smiles at you in the street it can change your whole day. It’s such a good cause, it’s not just giving a child a new smile, it’s giving a child a new future!”

 

We asked Chris Williams (OSUK Community Partnerships Manager) what impact events like these have on the charity – “Our community fundraisers are instrumental to the UKs success in raising awareness of the work we do – without them, we would not be able to provide free surgeries for so many children in need around the world. Our 40 strong team are helping us reach these children and through surgery, helping them to live the life they deserve. We are in awe of their challenge and incredibly grateful for their efforts, both in fundraising and of course on the saddle!”.

Paul Garnett, Rob Stone and Mark Harbour (L-R)

 

Cheer Point Team

 

Tom King and Liam Sweeney (L-R)

 

 

Whilst Ride London may be over for another year, Operation Smile UK look to their next event – the Royal Parks Half Marathon on Sunday October 14th. With places up for grabs, have you got what it takes to ‘Raise A Smile’? Contact the events team at events.uk@operationsmile.org for more information.