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chamBers NE WS vISION ENGINEERING dEvELOP YOGA PROGRAMME For ITS GloBAl HQ & r&D SITe IN GUIlDForD Surrey Chambers member, Vision Engineering, a privately owned 62 yearold manufacturer of optical and digital instrumentation, has 125 staff working at its global HQ & R&D site in Send, near Guildford. Vision has developed a well-resourced and well-managed staff development programme, which alongside training and development, includes an in-house gym and table tennis, a woodland walk path in the grounds, and celebrations with snacks and music of the different nationalities and cultures that work in the company. The company has also developed a yoga programme, which has been run for the past three years by Lisa Parkin, a
200-hour qualified yoga instructor, who is currently training to be a yoga therapist. The yoga programme, which is free to staff, takes place towards the end of the working day, averaging about 10-14 participants. Lisa’s classes are mixed ability and able to integrate beginners very easily. Lisa commented: “My Vision Engineering classes contain a mixture of all abilities and genders, who can present with a range of conditions, including aches and pains from sports and work, as well as stress from their day to day lives. The classes start at 4.30pm, and most come bustling in straight from the factory or offices. My main focus is to help them to relax and de-stress, settling them into the class before utilising easily-
adaptable yoga poses accessible for all that can help to build strength, flexibility, and body awareness” Lisa Parkin can offer a range of corporate yoga services, which are related to the composition of the people attending, what the Company hopes to achieve, and the location (face to face, virtually, or a combination of the two). Lisa can be contacted by email: lisaparkin80@gmail.com
SURREY RESEARCH PARK APPOINTS NEW CHIEF EXECUTIvE Surrey Research Park, home to over 4,000 jobs and contributing over £620m in value to the UK economy, has announced the appointment of Grant Bourhill as its Chief Executive. Grant Bourhill joins Surrey Research Park from the University of Leicester, where he was Chief Executive of Leicester Science Park. He is highly esteemed across the Science Park sector and widely recognised as the driving force behind Space Park Leicester. Dr Malcolm Parry, founder and incumbent CEO, retires after 40 years of service, leaving a legacy of a Science Park built to be twice as large as the average Russell Group Science Park, generating phenomenal jobs and economic prosperity.
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Grant Bourhill commented: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to join Surrey Research Park. It is an honour to take charge of a vibrant community of 170 high-tech companies, supporting thousands of jobs in the park and the wider area. It is testament to Malcolm Parry’s work and leadership over 40 years that the team have created such a superb asset that contributes so
significantly locally and nationally. I am proud and humbled that this is now moving under my care. I look forward to working with our tenants, the University, the Surrey business community and partners as we strive to add even more value to the economy and foster business and academic collaboration to drive economic prosperity and innovation even further.” The University of Surrey has a proud history of using its diverse strengths across space, cyber-security, artificial intelligence, telecommunications technologies, and health, all of which are strongly represented by its businesses on the Park. With a background in academia and business, Grant will be tasked with increasing the collaborative opportunities between the University and businesses on the Park.
