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NEW YEAR’S HONOURS FOR AREA
Becci’s work on fire crew mental health rewarded
WORK to transform the health and wellbeing services at the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Services has been recognised in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list.
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The service’s head of HR and learning and development, Becci Jefferies, was awarded a BEM for her role in championing mental health provision.
This has included creating a mental health action plan, and pioneering a trauma support volunteer group, which helps firefighters who are involved in traumatic incidents.
Ms Jefferies joined the service in 1993, after working with the then Berkshire County Council’s social services department.
Her passion and energy has been acknowledged by the fire service, which said she has created an environment where mental health is openly discussed without stigma, while also ensuring that it is focused on creating a welcoming, inclusive environment.
Wayne Bowcock, Chief Fire Officer, said that Ms Jeffries has ensured that these principles are embedded in every aspect of the work the service does. “Becci is a credit to the Service and we’re delighted to see this formally recognised in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours,” he said.
“The measures she has actively campaigned for and implemented improve the lives of team members and our communities.
“Becci is an inspirational leader and unsung hero of the Service, putting the needs of colleagues and her community before her own. I’d like to thank her for her continued efforts to support the Service and the communities of Berkshire.”
And this view was echoed by Cllr Colin Dudley, chairman of Royal Berkshire Fire Authority: “I am delighted that Becci has been recognised as part of the Queen’s New Year’s Honours,” he said.
“She has made an outstanding contribution to the people of Royal Berkshire through her work and she should be deeply proud of her achievements.
“Congratulations Becci.”
And the recipient said that she was ‘extremely honoured’ at the award.
“I and see it as reflection of the hard work, professionalism and contribution made by my team and colleagues in Royal Berkshire and Fire and Rescue Service,” Ms Jefferies said.
“I have the absolute privilege of working for a truly fantastic organisation which is committed to making a positive difference to the communities we serve.” A MEMBER of Thames Valley Police’s counter terrorism team who led this investigation into the Forbury Gardens terrorist attack has been given an MBE.
Ian Elgeti, a forensic manager who has worked on some of the most intricate and high-profile terrorist incident crimes scenes in recent years, has been praised by the force for his work.
As well as managing the forensic strategies for the Forbury Gardens attack of June 2020, he helped with investigating incidents in Salisbury in March and July 2018, and the Manchester Arena bombing in April 2017.
Thames Valley Police said that he worked in meticulous detail to preserve evidence
Former University of Reading chef awarded an MBE for catering work
EXCLUSIVE
By NATALIE BURTON nburton@wokingham.today
A FORMER chef at University of Reading has been made an MBE on the New Year Honours List for his services to the catering and hospitality industry.
Matthew White, MBE, began working as a relief chef at the University 29 years ago. He is now the director of campus commerce, with responsibility for sports, accommodation, bars and catering. Under his leadership, catering has turned from a loss-making operation to contributing £12 million back into education and research.
He was nominated for an MBE for his career achievements at Reading, as well as for his leadership of the national university caterers’ organisation, TUCO. He will become chair of the Public Sector 100 Group, which brings together public sector catering organisations from education, health care and prison settings, in late 2022.
Mr White was told about the accolade at the beginning of November.
“I was really worried when I saw the Cabinet Office envelope, I wondered what I had done,” he said.
“I had to get my partner to read it to me as I was so emotional.”
It has been a long two months for Mr White, who was been unable to tell his family, friends and colleagues ahead of the official announcement.
“It’s been the hardest secret on earth to keep, especially from my parents, because I’ve been bursting with joy since I found out,” he added.
Not being able to tell colleagues has also been difficult, Mr White said, as he firmly believes the award reflects the hard work of his whole team to implement changes at the university.
Measures there have included introducing refillable bottle, cup and container schemes across campus, opening marketplaces for students to buy small amounts of loose ingredients, increasing use of local suppliers and produce from the university farm, and serving food at all university bars.
“Food is a very important part of life at Reading, and eating habits for life can form when students are at university,” he explained.
“We want to make sure our students develop sustainable and healthy attitudes.”
Mr White and his team have also adopted a pastoral approach to their work. Catering staff are offered mental health first aid training. As they are student-facing, they are often seen as being a friendly face on campus and may spot warning signs that a student is in difficulty.
During lockdown, the University’s food provision became click and collect and the team began to provide food boxes to self-isolating and quarantining students. It is a service which has continued.
His many other achievements include setting up a TUCO fundraising partnership with Mary’s Meals, an organisation which feeds school children in developing countries.
He also created a national training academy and an MA in catering, at London Southbank University.
The University of Reading is also the first in the UK to be approved by US university Stanford’s Menus of Change research project, which aims to encourage the catering and hospitality industry to make sustainable, environmental and social commitments.
CELEBRATED: Matthew White was given an MBE for his achievements and leadership of the national university caterers’ organisation, TUCO
A READING resident has been awarded an MBE for sporting achievements in the New Year’s honours list.
Oliver Stanhope was nominated for his services to rowing. With his fellow PR3 mixed coxed four team mates, he holds the European, World and Paralympic titles. He rows at stroke.
The 23-year-old brought home gold from his first Paralympic Games in Tokyo last summer.
“Being awarded an MBE is cooler than the gold medal though, as I will always be an MBE. The Paralympic title only really lasts for four years,” he said.
Originally from Middlesex, he started rowing at Walton Rowing Club in 2008, and was encouraged by teachers to take the sport more seriously.
He had a strong rowing influence in his personal life too. Both of his parents have rowed for Great Britain at the Olympic Games.
“I was originally more into Triathlon, although I was inspired by going to see the mens’ eight race at the London 2012 Olympics,” he said.
He rowed in an eight for Hampton School at the Henley Royal Regatta in 2015 and 2016.
In 2017, he raced with Molesey Rowing Club in the Thames Cup at Henley, just before breaking into the Great Britain PR3 mixed coxed four squad.
“That’s when I decided to move to Reading,” Mr Stanhope explained.
“It’s a better journey to Caversham, where we train, than the one from my parents’ house in Hampton would be.
“I have three training sessions a day, so it’s pretty intense.”
Alongside sport, Mr Stanhope is studying part time at Oxford Brookes University for a degree in real estate management.
“Although I deferred a year in 2019 to prepare for Tokyo 2020, which then happened a year late, so by the time I go back I am going to be a mature student,” he added.
Ahead of the games, Mr Stanhope spent several months living in the hotel at the then Madjeski Stadium with team mates Giedre Rakauskaite, Ellen MBE: Oliver Stanhope was nominated for his services to rowing
Buttrick, James Fox and Erin Kennedy. They have also been awarded MBEs, and he is looking forward to celebrating with them: “We did not really have a chance to celebrate our Paralympic gold together, so this will be a great,” he said.
Mr Stanhope is hopeful of a place on the rowing squad which will represent Great Britain at the Paris 2024 games.
Beyond that, he would like to spend some time as a rowing coach before moving into the real estate industry.
MBE for forensic expert who helped convict terrorist
ON SCENE:
Police at Forbury Gardens
for the Forbury attack, which saw three men murdered and others injured.
In doing so, he was praised for being sympathetic to the wishes of the victims’ families, while his strategy led to the recovery of significant CCTV and forensic evidence, which ultimately led to the defendant pleading guilty at court.
The defendant was jailed for life for the murders and the judge imposed a whole-life order.
The force’s Chief Constable, John Campbell, said he was delighted with Mr Elgeti’s recognition.
“This award highlights Ian’s professionalism, commitment and hard work in protecting and keeping our communities safe and he should be rightly proud of this achievement,” he said.
“Ian is a credit to the police service and I offer him congratulations on behalf of all his Thames Valley Police colleagues and our partners.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Kath Barnes, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing South East, added: “I couldn’t think of a more deserving person to receive an MBE. Ian is one of our highly competent and committed people who gets on with his work quietly, often with hugely impressive results.
“I am brimming with pride.”
A business park that is changing
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Visit www.winnershtriangle.co.uk tofindoutmore.
Plan B ‘could derail recovery’
By PHIL CREIGHTON pcreighton@wokingham.today
THE country’s economic recovery could be affected by the Omicron Covid-19 variant.
A Reading-based restructuring and insolvency (R&I) practitioner is warning that the Plan B measures could have a “devastating and disproportionate” effect on SMEs.
Under government advice, which recommends home working where possible and mandatory face coverings in most public settings, Matthew Richards, R&I Partner at accounting firm Azets says unclear guidance and an increasing lack of confidence could lead to a catastrophic impact on SMEs, at a time when support measures such as the Job Retention Scheme (JRS) are no longer available.
And Mr Richards warned that with SMEs being the ‘lifeblood’ of the UK economy, they have a critical role to play in the country’s recovery from the covid pandemic. He said that there were more than 5.5 million companies across the country, employing more than 16 million people.
They also account for nearly half the UK economy’s revenues.
“The ability to furlough staff where necessary and access to other support measures that are now closed offered a lifeline to many of these businesses,” Mr Richards said.
“Without these and little clarity regarding the likelihood of even stricter measures, confidence amongst SMEs is now faltering and businesses are once again feeling exposed.
“The government’s Plan B could have big consequences for the business community – and could be potentially devastating for the hospitality and traditional retail businesses.
“People who have been told to work from home to stop the spread of the virus might feel uncomfortable socialising and that will further diminish what is normally a critical period for retail, hospitality, and leisure businesses.”
Mr Richards does not foresee the re-introduction of schemes such as the JRS, under which a business could claim up to 80% of a furloughed worker’s usual wages, via the payroll, of up to a total of £2,500 each month.
“Given the significant amount of money already spent on Covid support measures, such as the Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS) extended into next year, it’s likely the government might well resist bringing back closed schemes,” he continued.
“This is bad news for businesses operating in a stop/start economy, some of which were only just getting back on their feet.
“Typically, it’s businesses who seek advice early that have the best chance of recovering from financial distress, and have more options open to them, with more time to take a decision about their next step.”
Matthew Richards from Azets
IoD Berkshire launches task force to drive UK-Africa trade
THE Berkshire branch of the Institute of Directors (IoD) has set up a task force to improve trading ties between the UK and Africa.
The Special Interest Group for Africa aims to stimulate business opportunities, increase networking and grow awareness of British businesses in Africa and African businesses in Britain.
The task force will be launched in London on Thursday, May 19, with all African diplomatic missions and some heads of state expected to attend.
And to help Berkshire prepare, a series of IoD-hosted online round tables will be held to discuss post-Covid and Brexit business opportunities for UK and African businesses.
Since Brexit, the UK government has negotiated eight free trade agreements with African countries and trading blocs, which has created tariffs and duty-free trade between Britain and 30 African nations.
These agreements, the IoD says, open up significant opportunities for African consumers and companies.
Dr Shaun Davis, IoD Berkshire chair, said: “One UK parliamentary report recently noted that UK-Africa trade has ‘flat-lined’ and accounts for just 2.5% of all UK trade. But before Covid-19 the world’s five fastest-growing economies were all African, and regional leaders like Nigeria and South Africa are likely to become superpowers of the global economy as we move towards the second half of this century.
“More needs to be done on both sides to take advantage of the opportunities on offer. As one of the world’s most influential and established business leader forums - with royal endorsement dating back to 1906 – the IoD is the ideal forum to develop opportunities for UK-based firms to establish and grow new business in Africa and vice versa.”
A Special Interest Group digital round table will be held on Tuesday, February 8. n For more details, or to book log on to www.iod.com and search events.
2022 could be the year of rural tourism boom
Prosperous new year for Aldi staff
THIS year could see a boom in rural tourism across the south east, and the sector is expected to grow.
Latest figures show that farmers derived 35% of their income from diversified business activities during the covid-hit year of 2020.
Total income for the region’s farmers fell by £174 million last year to £360 million, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with £127 million coming from diversified business activities.
Rural insurance broker Lycetts says that with farmers losing direct payment subsidies as a result of Brexit, it will see the growth of the tourism sector.
The company’s spokesperson, Rupert Wailes-Fairbairn, said he expects farms to offer experience days, turning land to camping, glamping and yurts for overnight stays. He also expected farms to turn to renewable energy projects as operators pay farmers and landowners rents of up to £1,000 per acre.
However, it is not without risk and Mr Wailes-Fairbairn says farms should undertake due diligence.
“Tourism-related projects will invariably involve members of the public setting foot on farmland,” he said. “Before embarking on any new business venture, it is important that farmers seek advice from specialists in the field.”
IT WILL be a prosperous new year for staff working at a supermarket chain with branches in the borough.
Aldi says it is increasing the rate of pay for its store colleagues to at least £10.10 per hour, a move which it says means it maintains its position as the UK’s best-paying supermarkets, and is a pay rise worth at least £750 per year.
These rates are also above the Living Wage Foundation’s recommended rate of £9.90 an hour nationally.
There are different rates of pay for those staff members working inside the M25, to reflect the higher cost of living in London.
Giles Hurley, chief executive officer for Aldi UK and Ireland, said that the company’s staff members had shown commitment and enthusiasm during the pandemic, and has helped drive its success.
“We want to ensure our colleagues are always fully rewarded for their amazing work,” he said.
“These new rates, together with the fact that we are the only supermarket to pay colleagues for breaks taken during their shifts, means we continue to offer the best pay in the supermarket sector.”
The company is planning to invest £1.3 billion over the next two years, to see its portfolio of 950 stores grow. To help, it is planning to recruit more than 2,000 additional colleagues, with some of these roles in Berkshire. n For details, log on to www. aldirecruitment.co.uk
