When it comes to family business succession planning, one thing is certain: Most family business leaders don’t do it, they don’t do it well, or they wait to do it until it’s too late. While the CEO longevity in non-family businesses is an average of six years, for a family owned business CEOs tend to stay for 20-25 years. Sure, that long tenure contributes to leadership stability and consistency, but it can also fuel flat growth, narrow business focus, and decreasing leadership drive. Additionally, when the CEO and other top level executive family members do not step aside in a timely manner, it causes a high level of frustration in the next generation who is ready to charge forward and make their mark. Once it becomes clear that the children might reach their mid to late fifties before taking over, it becomes hard to hold on to the ambitious ones. That’s why all family businesses need to have a solid succession plan in place—one that helps the senior generation leave with ease and welcomes the well-prepared next generation. While succession planning can happen at any level within the organisation, we commonly think about the top five to eight key positions for a written, structured succession plan. So as you plan your company’s future leadership, keep these points in mind. Think beyond seniority. Many family business executives choose their future leaders based on seniority (“She’s the oldest, so she will be our next CEO”). In some families, the next in line is the oldest male. Of course, a single owner can make the easy decision to pass the business leadership to the child of their choice. But this “easy” choice can backfire if the adult child or the one with the most seniority has not gained respect from other family members and employees. In other words, often the easy choice or the obvious choice isn’t the best choice. Therefore, be open to broadening your search beyond the next of kin. Embrace a more professional process of skill evaluations, performance assessments, and reviews of career history. The more thoughtful, objective, and inclusive the process of bringing on the next leader is, the more likely that the transition will be embraced. Succession readiness calls for a written transition plan and an individual development plan for the future CEO within three years of the planned succession date. Implementation of the plan may involve identifying other executive team members with succession needs, building a coaching plan, and providing stretch assignments in different functional areas of the company. Rank possible successors based on key criteria. Rather than just appoint the next oldest family member to the leadership role, consider creating a list of all the possible successors and rank them, from 1 to 10 (with 10 being high), in each of the following areas: Past work experience and advancement history Education Geographic mobility, if appropriate Learning agility Prior leadership positions—size and scope of leadership responsibilities Advancement potential Advancement desire Interpersonal skills Assessment of the individual compared to the company’s values and leadership competencies Past performance ratings The ability to take risks Decision-making ability Problem-solving ability Doing this for each potential successor will help you see which ones are best positioned to move the company forward. Finding a successor with the right mix of skills, attitude, drive, character, and experience that matches your business will ensure the family company succeeds for the long term. Groom the next generation. Once you have a successor in mind, offer him/her additional development through such things as job rotations, stretch assignments, additional profit and loss responsibility, and additional exposure to board members and customers. The more emphasis you place on prepping the next leader, the smoother the transition will be. Consider a non-family leader. When a family business member utters the words, “Let’s consider a non-family CEO,” the first reply is usually a colourful no! However, a non-family CEO frequently brings diverse, in-depth experience to drive business growth, bringing professional alliances, partnerships, and strategy opportunities. They can be a great mentor for the next generation of family leaders—often then known as a “bridge CEO” from one generation to the next. While the family may hold all the stock, it is critical to develop a performance incentive that will reward and retain the non-family CEO and an employment agreement that will fairly treat and protect the CEO. Choose Who’s Next Thoughtful, on-going planning for succession is a must for long-term business success and sustainability. Therefore, start now. Develop a clear plan about the succession of senior leader positions, including who will be next, when the transition will take place, and how that successor will be groomed to make the move smoother. The more planning you do now, the better the future will be—for you and your family business. About the author : Lois Lang is a speaker and consultant with Evolve Partner Group, LLC where she helps organizations become high performance workplaces. Lois works with clients on management succession readiness, organizational/team strengthening, executive coaching, executive compensation design, wage studies and mediated conflict resolution. Please visit www.evolvepartnergroup.com to find out more.

There are plenty of benefits of having the next generation work outside of the family business for part of their career progression. Australia’s next generation of family business owners should consider working in another company, and maybe even another field, before returning to the family brand. Each offspring, no matter how strong the bond with the family, should build on their formal education and test their skills in the open market, work for a new boss or two, and establish a threshold of responsibility to implement their own ideas. Outside experience is healthy for individuals and the business. The specifics of the outside job are probably less important than the journey away from home. Of course, professional positions in sales, production, marketing, human resources, research or other operational fields can be very constructive. Young workers need to understand the value of uncertainty and meritocracy, both of which might be lacking when your surname is written on the company building. If the new job is in the same industry, the future successor can develop his/her own personal network and learn crucial skills — maybe even gain first-hand knowledge of useful ideas from competitors. A job outside the same industry as the family business can be equally useful, especially if the next genner has always wondered what life outside the family industry is like. An added bonus: young people get the chance to be young and possibly foolish away from the eyes and ears of their future colleagues or employees. Most children share certain passions with their parents, but most have different interests, too. Much like a university experience, the next generation worker will benefit from being around those who share their interests and passions. They may even find someone of similar mind and talent to incorporate into the family business down the road. The larger the family business, the more important it is for future leaders to have a sense of working for someone you aren’t related to. No matter how objective and fair-minded the parent, a child won’t get a true sense of that independence and perspective while shaded by the family umbrella. In numerous surveys, Family Business Australia and KPMG have found that successful family businesses tend to have children who are more educated and worldly than the general population. “More than 75 per cent of respondents had completed some vocational or tertiary training after leaving school,” one survey found. “These figures are significantly higher than those of the population at large.” One participant said that businesses don’t just benefit in the long run when the next generation initially leaves the business. The short run benefits can be felt in the current staff. “It’s also good for the other staff in the business, who can see a clear prerequisite for family members to join the business,” said the unnamed participant. “In turn, it’s better for the culture of the business.” There are obvious benefits whenever the next generation eventually return to the business. “If a role is created just for you,” said another participant, “instead of a real business need, then it makes it more difficult to build respect with other staff.” Another study found “group participants agreed that entry rules regarding education and experience should be encouraged and even written up formally for future generations.” Stories Of Success Ross Brown, third son of John Charles and Patricia Brown, has known the wine trade his entire life. His family business, Brown Brothers Winery, has been an institution in northeast Victoria since 1889. Ross served as CEO for ten years before moving to executive director in 2011, and he stresses the importance of long-term planning — for business and for family. “In our business we plant a vine to make wine in five or six years’ time,” Ross said in an interview, explaining why family members must work a minimum of four years at another organisation before moving returning to the Brown family business. In a separate interview with Drinks Trade Insight, Ross reaffirmed his belief in the outside work requirement. “It has the potential to continue to bring outside skills and knowledge back into the business.” The Brown Brothers family formalised an outside work requirement into a non-negotiable clause, and it keeps their family values codified for each generation to share and keeps the next generation from becoming complacent. Sheree Sullivan, director and manager of Udder Delights in South Australia, said outside work was critical for the business’ early survival. Her father and mother, Trevor and Estelle Dunford, started the company in 1995 with just two goats. Sheree and her husband Saul bought 50 per cent of the company 10 years later and says her family’s success can be traced to its “migrant model”. Everyone, including her parents, worked outside jobs when the business was getting off the ground. There, they learned “a unique and very diverse skill set,” says Sheree, including business administration and equipment maintenance.

According to the latest poll of 2,000 staff by recruitment firm Robert Walters , 60% of professionals stated they have suffered from some form of workplace-related stress, which has been onset in 2023 and more than 50% of those questions feel that employers could do more to help. Key Findings: 60% of professionals suffer from workplace related stress 46% of professionals say concerns over job stability are the biggest trigger 55% don’t think employers are doing enough to help combat it 45% of professionals say it is down to senior leaders & HR to manage workplace stress, followed by line managers (34%) 51% of professionals identify their company’s output as high, 23% note that it is low quality Three in five employees have stated that their mental health has declined this year as a result of workplace stress. Despite UK employers spending millions on wellness initiatives every year – increasing their spend by 20% since the pandemic - 55% of professionals still think that their employer is not doing enough to combat stress in the workplace. When asked how often they feel stressed, a third stated ‘very often’ (33%), with a further 27% stating ‘somewhat often’, and 31% identified it as happening ‘sometimes.’ – Just 9% stated that they had not experienced any form of ‘reoccurring stress’ at work this year. Causes Of Work-Related Stress When asked about what causes workplace stress, concerns over job stability were the most common trigger (45%). Followed by more pressure from management (23%), lack of a pay rise (19%) and taking on a heftier workload this year (13%). When asked whose responsibility it was to manage workplace stress – 45% of professionals said it was down to HR and senior leaders, followed by line managers (34%) – with only a fraction (18%) thinking it was down to the individual. However, less than 20% of professionals feel employers are doing enough, a further 27% feel some efforts have been made, but they are lacking – whilst the majority (55%) state that employers simply aren’t doing enough. Chris Poole, Managing Director of Robert Walters: “UK Employers spend an estimated £100-200 per employee on wellness initiatives & benefits every year – but our survey indicates they may only be applying a band-aid." “Employers must strike the balance between not breaking the banks or piling pressure onto managers to solve workplace stress but still being proactive and listening to the needs of their employees.” Long work hours, heavy workloads, tight deadlines, unclear job expectations, job insecurity, and conflicts with colleagues or supervisors are all factors which contribute towards workplace stress. If not addressed, workplace stress can snowball into higher turnover rates, levels of employee burnout, absenteeism and lower levels of productivity. Indeed, 51% of professionals identified their company’s output as high – with almost a quarter noting it was of a low quality. Chris comments: “Workplace stress is something everyone in a business has a hand in creating – however it is down to senior leaders & HR to set the tone for how it is handled." “Simple interventions such as making sure workloads are manageable, setting realistic deadlines and making sure employees have access to support, safe spaces and relevant resources – can all help to alleviate pressure in the workplace as well as professionals’ day-to-day work life.”

A prestigious Staffordshire school is putting careers for women in engineering centre stage with a series of innovative and fun education days. In the run up to International Women in Engineering Day on June 23rd, The JCB Academy at Rocester has joined forces with world-renowned digger maker JCB to encourage girls from across the county to consider careers in engineering. Almost 400 Year 6 girls from schools across Staffordshire and Derbyshire visited the Academy for a day of inspirational talks from JCB graduates and apprentices as well as engineering experiments to spark their imaginations. The youngsters built giant towers using spaghetti and took part in an Egg Crash Challenge as part of their interactive taster day. The JCB Academy Principal Jenny McGuirk said: “Year on year the number of girls choosing to study at The JCB Academy is rising but we still have more to do. Events like this give the Year 6 girls a real taste of what engineering is all about; problem-solving, innovating and having great fun at the same time.” “The girls also got to meet some great role models, working with our own female students as well as apprentices and graduates who are forging fantastic careers in engineering and business with JCB. The event is also supported by The Institute of Engineering and Technology and Loughborough University who both champion this important issue.” JCB Early Careers Scheme Leader Holly Broadhurst added: “The number of female engineers at JCB is growing and while 20% of our early careers recruits are now female, we are not complacent and work hard to encourage more women into what has historically been viewed as a male profession. Changing these perceptions is a long-term goal and by supporting The JCB Academy and engaging with the next generation we can show girls that engineering is a great career path for everyone.”

A leading Scottish hotel group has announced its new charity partnership for 2023. Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels, has pledged to raise much needed funds for Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA), which provides life-saving services to communities in every corner of Scotland, for the next 12 months. The funds will be raised by hotel employees across the hotel group’s eight properties within the portfolio, as well as guests who pass through its doors throughout the year, with a number of activities already earmarked to kick off fundraising. The hotel group’s big-hearted employees have a fantastic fundraising track record, having raised thousands for a variety of both local and national charities throughout the years, and the team at Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels are looking forward to doing all they can for Scotland’s only air ambulance charity. With a crew based at Perth airport, close to the hotel’s flagship property, Crieff Hydro, the charity recently marked its 10th anniversary. Since May 22, 2013, SCAA has doubled its operation, launching an Aberdeen base in 2020, responded to nearly 5,000 call outs, raised over £50 million and flown nearly half a million miles, saving thousands of lives and impacting on thousands more, particularly in remote and rural areas. Stephen Leckie, Chairman and CEO of Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels, said: “It’s vitally important for us to support those most in need through charity fundraising, and we’re very much looking forward to embarking on this new partnership with Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance. The dedication and skill of the pilots and paramedics involved is phenomenal and their life saving efforts makes SCAA a perfect fit for our charity partner of the year.” SCAA CEO, David Craig, said: “We are immensely grateful to Stephen Leckie and the Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels for choosing SCAA as their charity partner this year. The generosity shown by hotel employees and guests visiting their properties will undoubtedly help save lives as we respond to emergencies across Scotland, 365 days a year.” “SCAA’s life-saving service is only possible thanks to the ongoing support of the individuals, businesses and organisations of Scotland and partnerships like this with the Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels help to fly us into the future, ensuring we are there for the people of Scotland when we are needed most.” Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels comprises eight hotels located in Perthshire, Dundee, the Scottish Borders and the Highlands.

Allied Vehicles, one of Glasgow’s most prominent employers, has demonstrated commitment to its local community with more than £88,000 in donations to charities and good causes in almost 18 months. When he launched the Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust in January 2022, company owner Gerry Facenna said he wanted to give back something to the Possilpark community where Allied was established 30 years ago and is still based today. He pledged £10,000 in donations every month, which was recently raised to £20,000. Since its launch, the Trust has given a total of £88,200 to charities and causes in Possilpark and north Glasgow, which are in the top 20 of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation. Three causes in the area are included in the latest donations from AVCT – Keppoch Nursery, Love Milton and the Milton Rattlers – benefitting by more than £5,000. Keppoch Nursery in Possilpark approached AVCT seeking support for their efforts to develop an outdoor play area on campus, called the Gruffalo Garden. Most of their children live in flats with little, or no, access to a safe outdoor space, and the nursery said it wanted to address that, as well as train their team in outdoor play. The AVCT staff committee, who with Gerry decides which causes to support, agreed to give them £3,500, described by nursery head Kelly McLaughlin as “fantastic news”. She said: “This will definitely help to benefit the children’s outdoor learning experience.” “The amazing donation of £3500 from AVCT will help us to develop our Gruffalo Garden into an exciting outdoor space where our young children can safely participate in adventurous play, we are absolutely delighted with this news. Thank you AVCT, it means so much to us!” Another beneficiary is Love Milton, a charity that tries to combat the symptoms and causes of deprivation in Milton, to make it a better place to live with more opportunities for locals to develop their interests. They arrange year-round community events including Milton Gala Day, and Allied gave them £1,000 towards these. Project Coordinator Marina Costello told AVCT: “Thank you so much, this will help get people back together over the summer for free activities.” Last year, the committee were tickled by a handwritten letter from Raymond Hunter, chairman of a group for local elderly people, the Milton Rattlers, and gave them £750 to help their day trip to Largs. He had gone into Allied, in Balmore Road, Glasgow, and handed the letter to a man he described as “the manager”, who turned out to be Gerry. The Rattlers – so-called for the noise their various medications make when they move around – returned this year, when Raymond gave their handwritten note to someone else. He told them: “We had such a great time in Largs last year that we’d like to do something similar this year and wondered if you could help.” The AVCT agreed and gave them another £750, for which they were promised another hand-scripted thank-you note. Glasgow’s Lord Provost Jacqueline McLaren said: “Allied is a familiar local business and it’s fantastic that this firm is supporting the local community. I know these donations mean a great deal to those that receive them. They’re helping improve people’s lives and bring joy in these difficult times.” Gerry said he was delighted that Allied has been able to support the local community. “Allied Vehicles plays a significant role in the local economy and I feel very strongly that we should give something back to the place where we’ve prospered.” “Many different charities and causes have benefitted since we launched the Trust and we’ll continue to support them – and others – for the foreseeable future.”

A £3,500 donation from a Lake District hotel group has helped a local school complete the installation of a composting toilet and outbuilding alongside its sports field. English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues has been working with Beetham C of E Primary School on the project to build the composting toilet, with the donation adding to fundraising efforts to cover the installation costs. The addition of the outdoor composting toilet means that the school’s teachers can deliver a greater variety of lessons using the recreational field and for longer periods with minimal disruption when pupils need to go back into the main building to use the facilities. The project has also involved environmental and educational themes with the school working with English Lakes Hotels to certify the composting toilet under the Toilet Twinning partnership between development charities Cord and Tearfund. The facility will be paired with a purpose-built latrine in a third world country to give an overseas community access to clean water and sanitation. Beetham C of E Primary School head teacher Abi Johnson says: “As a small school on the edge of Arnside and Silverdale Area of Outstanding National Beauty, we nurture a friendly and caring environment and we’re constantly looking for ways to improve our grounds and facilities for our students.” “We’re very grateful to English Lakes Hotels for getting involved in the project and making such a significant donation. The Toilet Twinning idea has also provided a strong, caring educational theme on overseas development and sanitation for the students to consider.” The donation from the hotel group was made via its Sam’s Club Charity which supports local charities and good causes. Adam Bujok from English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues adds: “We were invited to tour the school and were really impressed with their plans to improve their facilities. The composting toilet and outbuilding was an ideal project to help fund as it dovetails with our commitment to the Toilet Twinning initiative which provides clean water to poor communities and helps reduce spread of disease and premature deaths.”

Family businesses need to position themselves as attractive propositions to appeal to new executives. It is well documented that many family businesses struggle moving towards professionalising the business in terms of the people employed due to the very nature of them being family businesses. In essence, family businesses need to position themselves as attractive propositions to appeal to new executives who may have never previously ventured into the world of family business where there is the inevitable overlap between the family and the business. For many professionals, moving from a totally corporate world to one where the family involvement can have significant involvement and influence over many aspects of the day-to-day operations, and where emotions can easily flow over into the business, the decision is not easy. Add to the mix that recruitment is one thing, retention and motivation are other things altogether and again an area where family businesses can struggle. Adding to the family skills mix and growing the family business often necessitates looking to outsiders to help the business grow. So what can family businesses do to increase their chances of success when it comes to employing and engaging with non-family executives? Some of the key steps that family businesses need to adhere to include the creation of a clear and transparent process for managing all staff, one that is seen to be effective and fair and that ensures that individuals are appraised appropriately and on a timely basis. Things to consider include: A clear set of objectives for everyone Live the process and make sure it is respected and real- managing people is the role of line management and not HR Appraisals and rewards need to be linked Understand the motivations of management and staff Recognise and celebrate achievements Provide opportunities for career progression Create a framework for training and personal development to bring out the best in everyone – offer mentoring or coaching to allow everyone to maximise their potential Make the most of the working environment Keep abreast of market rates and salary levels Clear communication is paramount Stick to the rules Paul Andrews, Founder and Managing Director of Family Business United says, “Family firms have a wonderful opportunity to differentiate themselves through the way they treat their people. Often viewed as employers of choice with significantly higher retention rates than non-family firms, a reliance on loyalty alone is not enough." "Everyone, be they family or non-family members, wants to be treated fairly. A transparent, clear and simple set of policies which are applied with rigour and demonstrate respect for the individual are essential. Moreover, a recruitment and development policy that is closely aligned to the strategy of the family firm is essential. If you can clearly articulate and agree upon a strategy, then leadership frameworks can be readily defined.” Developing a proper framework for people should help to increase the attractiveness of the family business to non-family executives and to ensure that once the right individuals have been recruited, they are well rewarded, incentivised and happy, and therefore more likely to stay for the longer term too.

Mitre has been announced as the official match ball supplier for The Soccer Tournament (TST), a ground-breaking world soccer championship set to kick off tomorrow, June 1, 2023. The tournament, featuring a winner-take-all prize of $1 million, will showcase 32 teams from around the world, including prominent clubs from the UK, Europe, and Asia, competing in an intense 7v7 high-stakes knockout competition. This partnership will see the supply of 400 Mitre Ultimax Pro footballs used across the four-day event, marking a significant milestone for the brand. The Mitre Ultimax Pro, an acclaimed FIFA Quality Pro approved ball, will proudly display the tournament logo, symbolizing the brand’s commitment to excellence and innovation. Simon Rowe, VP global sports marketing at Mitre, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “We’re thrilled that the Mitre Ultimax Pro will be the official match ball for The Soccer Tournament! It’s a new and disruptive competition, and we’re excited to be at the heart of it in its inaugural year. This latest move will further drive brand awareness and distribution in the US, including with our lead retailer soccer.com.“ The Soccer Tournament, hosted in Cary, North Carolina, aims to become the defining world championship for 7v7 football. With its unprecedented million-dollar prize, the event promises thrilling moments that will capture the attention of soccer fans worldwide. Among the notable teams participating are UK representatives Wrexham Red Dragons, West Ham United, and Wolverhampton Wanderers, as well as Champions League club Borussia Dortmund, esports and football club Hashtag United, Clint Dempsey’s Team Dempsey, and historic Liga MX side Club Necaxa. Jon Mugar, CEO and co-founder of TST, expressed his excitement saying, “We’re excited to partner with Mitre on our inaugural event. We know there will be many memorable moments throughout the competition, not the least of which will be someone kicking a ball into a net for $1 million dollars on Sunday, June 4. There was no option but to make that ball as high quality as Mitre.” Mitre’s involvement as the official match ball sponsor sets the stage for an unforgettable competition filled with suspense and extraordinary sporting achievements.

Employees at one of the UK’s largest plant nurseries, Johnsons of Whixley, have achieved over 16 million steps during April as part of a company challenge for Move More April to raise money for Perennial, the UK’s leading horticultural charity. Move More is an annual celebration that encourages individuals to move more and sit less in their daily lives. Johnsons of Whixley employees involved in the challenge raised over £550 for Perennial and achieved 16.3 million steps in 30 days. 40 staff at the Yorkshire nursery pledged to walk 10,000 steps each day during April and raise money for the charity, which supports those working in, or retired from horticulture when times get tough. Teams of four were drawn out of a hat and were each given a plant variety as the team’s name. The winning team, ‘Hydrangea’, achieved over 2.2 million steps and included Katie Short, Simon Harrison, Tracey Richardson and Martyn Osbourne. Martyn achieved a whopping 927,841 steps alone. Other employees involved in the challenge included Jack Witham, Vicky Newell, Hannah Reilly, Freya Lamacq-Wigham, Rob Forrester, Hannah Holland, Katie Burlingham, Dmytro Orlov, Adrian Price, Eleanor Richardson, Katie Rothwell, Sarah Perry, Adam Davis, Matt Campey, Lynda Pearson, Kirsten Morgan, Marcin Czajkowski, Paul Richardson, Tony Green, Sarah Greenwood, Tony Coles, Jo Goodyear, Tom Watkins, Rachael Richardson, Terry Cooper, Karl Connors, Cassie Hasslegrove, Louise Roberts, Isaac Onions, Jonathan Richardson, Anna Sibley, Mark Weatherill, Claire Horner, Catherine Cowling, Chris Edgar and Phil Georgiou. All staff taking part in the challenge received a Johnsons water bottle and certificate with the winning team members receiving a gift voucher each. Challenge organiser and marketing manager at Johnsons of Whixley, Eleanor Richardson, said: “I was overwhelmed with the number of Johnsons employees who signed up for this year’s step challenge to raise money for Perennial, it shows how keen we all are to support the UK’s only charity dedicated to helping those in our industry. Benefits from the challenge include team building and improved mental and physical well-being. Walking 10,000 steps a day can reduce the risk of illnesses such as stroke, type 2 diabetes and cancer in particular, not to mention the obvious weight loss benefits. Well done to all involved.” Phil Swainston, corporate partnership manager for Perennial added: “Many thanks to all the staff at our new Perennial partner, Johnsons of Whixley for undertaking their fantastic steps challenge throughout April. It is a great example of how the industry can support the charity, not only through partnership, but also through individual fundraising initiatives to spread our message that Perennial is here for all those working in horticulture that may need our help.“

As part of a commitment to improve quality of life in our communities, Perdue Farms associates in Salisbury, Maryland, rolled up their sleeves and volunteered on a Habitat for Humanity Women’s Build Project in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Wicomico County. Volunteers worked on a new home project in a neighborhood where Habitat has built numerous houses, including several in partnership with Perdue. Perdue’s participation is part of the company’s Delivering Hope to Our Neighbors® outreach to improve quality of life and build strong communities. Perdue provided a $2,000 sponsorship of the two-day project during which volunteers helped put some of the finishing touches on the house. “This is another testament to the unbelievable donations and support we get from the community,” said Molly Hilligross, executive director of Habitat for Humanity Wicomico County. “We’re grateful for the ongoing support of Perdue and its associates for taking the time to attend our Women Build.” A family of six, including four children, will soon call the four-bedroom house their home and fulfil their dream of home ownership. “It’s been wonderful that we’ve had this opportunity to be involved,” said Carrie Johnson, Perdue transportation manager. “Just seeing the family, and knowing that they’re going to get their own home, their own place, especially for the children, it’s an amazing feeling.”

GAP Hire Solutions, the UK’s largest independent hire company, has announced the re-opening of their Tower Bridge depot following a period of closure. Due to construction works taking place in the area, the hire company’s local depot had to be closed for over 12 months. During the closure, the depot has undergone extensive renovations, and is equipped to provide services for the Group’s Plant, Tools and Low Level Access Division. Richard Dey, Managing Director of London & South East at GAP commented: “We are delighted to be back in our much improved Tower Bridge location and able to offer our Central London customers an even faster response time, to satisfy all their hire requirements.” The depot is now officially back open for business, based at 4-6 Back Church Lane, London, E1 1LX with a team of dedicated experts on-site. The re-opening and renovation of this depot is part of GAP’s plans for expansion across the UK – investing in people, plant and premises to grow the business.