Latest Dougland News

Tom does it for Tommy's charity

Tom Richards completed the London Marathon on Sunday 21st April 2013 in an amazing time 3 Hours 58 Minutes and has raised
over £1750.00 so far and still money is rolling in.

Fantastic effort for a thoroughly deserving cause.

Well done Tom.


Please feel free to donate further by following the link below.


http://www.justgiving.com/Tom-Richards1989
 


 

CREDIT WHERE IT'S DUE!

Dougland Operations Director, Peter Simpson, recently received this communication, after the contract start up at Westside Plaza.
Credit must also go to all the staff on site and the Operational Management Team involved.
Well done to all!

Peter

I am writing to inform you despite the short notice Dirk and you were given to take over the cleaning services you have managed to liaise with all staff on a one to one basis.  The communications between yourself and I were exceptional and all questions answered within 12 hours. The new uniforms and equipment arrived two days prior to the start of the contract and you even provided staff trained on new chemicals 24 hours early.  It was a satisfying pleasure to see two Company Directors on site the day before the start of the contact and not forgetting you will be staying on site for a further day after the contract start up.  What I am trying to say is well done to you and your team.

Regards
Tony Clarke
Operations Manager
Westside Centre & Plaza

SUCCESS CONTINUES IN SCOTLAND

Following hot on the heels of our recent award of Ayr Central Shopping Centre in Ayrshire, we are delighted to announce the award of Westside Plaza Shopping Centre in Edinburgh.

Our service delivery commenced on 28^th March 2013, so it was all hands to the pumps for the operations team over the Easter Period, mobilising both contracts in quick succession.

Westside Plaza is a well-established and very busy centre, again within our Jones Lang LaSalle portfolio.

Dougland are beginning to build on our success in Scotland and hope to continue to do so throughout 2013 and beyond.

The contract will again be managed by National Contracts Manager, Dean Minahan and National Operations Manager, Patsy Kirk.

NEW CENTRE CLEANING MANAGER

We have a new addition to our management team, Sue Kipling, who has taken up the position of Centre Cleaning Manager at Churchill Square Shopping Centre in Brighton.  Sue joins Dougland with a wealth of management and cleaning experience and we are sure she will be a valuable addition to our team. This is a very challenging role in one of our largest and most prestigious contracts, but we are confident that Sue will excel in her new position and do a first class job.

Welcome to the team Sue!

Go Tom!!

On the 21st April our Projects Manager, Tom Richards will be running the Virgin London Marathon on behalf of 'Tommys' the baby charity, who fund research into stillbirth, premature birth and miscarriage and provide information for parents-to-be.

He has been training for over a year for this marathon and throughly deserves any support you can give him.

Below are two links, one is to his Just Giving page for anyone who would like to donate to this very worthwhile charity and the second is his spoof video appeal, which is definitely worth a watch!

"Enjoy the video and if you can afford to donate for a great charity then please do." says Tom.

Go for it Tom, we're all behind you! 

http://www.justgiving.com/Tom-Richards1989


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vSnX0CG3w

Customer Service at its Best!

Congratulations and a special mention must go out to our operative, Warren Brewer, who works at Princes Mead Shopping Centre in Farnborough.

Warren went the extra mile to pursue his passion of customer service excellence when he went to the aid of a lady that he noticed was having car problems.  Unfortunately the lady had a flat tyre and in the rush hour traffic, was quite distressed.  Warren changed the tyre for her and she was soon on her way.

Our client, Duncan Coombes had this to say:

“I received a phone call today from a lady who works for Rushmore Voluntary Services in regard to Warren Brewer.  She could not enthuse enough about how Warren had been so helpful and was a credit to us as a Centre and how we embraced care in the community, this also reflects on Dougland.  I have passed on my thanks for his efforts.

Warren has been with us for a short period of time and is consistently showing his worth, he is keen to get on and always polite and happy to help out with any tasks that are set for him. He is a valuable asset.”

Warren has only been with the company for a short time, covering as Mall Janitor, and has proved himself to be a very keen and dedicated member of Dougland. He has fitted in very well and been proactive in the role. 

This recent event  has demonstrated Warren’s dedication and commitment to excellent customer care, something that we at Dougland encourage and reward.

Well done Warren - keep up the good work!

WE HAVE A STAR WITHIN OUR MIDST!

A recent communication from one of our major clients praising our Cleaning Manager, Mark Shrubb, at The Parkway Shopping Centre, Newbury, for his actions has been received, which is a delight to read.  Well done Mark - this further goes to prove that our cleaning teams are more than just run of the mill cleaners they take pride in what they do and deliver so much so that on more than one occasion they go over and beyond their call of duty in the interest of their our client.


"Peter
Credit where it’s due. Quick note to let you know that this morning at 07:05, whilst on his rounds, Mark spotted two males behaving oddly outside Fraser Hart, taking pictures on phones of the exterior of the shop. He alerted security and challenged the men who then left the site. We reported the incident to both Fraser Hart and to the local police and we later found out that a similar incident had been reported at another Fraser Hart store later in the morning.

Well done to Mark, thanks to his decisive action, we’ve been able to pass on some credible CCTV close-ups to the police for future investigation and Fraser Hart are very grateful indeed for our proactive intervention."

Another Award

ONE STOP SHOPPING CENTRE - REBRANDING OF UNIFORMS

Dougland, in conjunction with the Centre Manager, Mark Burbridge, and VSG Security, have recently spent time rebranding our uniform styles to bring them into the twenty first century.  No longer is it the old fashioned polo shirt, sweatshirt and blue trousers for our Centre staff, but smart looking, practical casualwear of top quality materials.  Shirts and jackets and ties for all in and around the customer focused areas, bringing life into what is  seen normally as a drab looking outfit, which in most cases is a cheap option.

The recent launch was very successful in that staff felt more comfortable in their new attire blending much better with shoppers and retail staff and felt more a part of the Centre team, just through careful selection of brand style and fabric. 

"No longer are we labelled as 'just cleaners', we are now seen as Mall Attendants with customers more readily wanting to approach us due to the smartness and professionalism portrayed." says Peter Simpson, Operations Director.

Customer Service and Dedication at it's Best!

One of our major Shopping Centre’s has taken the time out to send an email, praising a member of our cleaning team.  Comments such as these below really do make all your efforts worthwhile and proves that proper training of staff pays dividends.  So well done to Barry and keep up the good work!
Barry will be receiving a gift voucher from us in recognition of his hard work and dedication.


Hi Matt,

I just want to give you some feedback regarding Barry Leete who is the daytime car park cleaner.  I would like Barry to be acknowledged for his outstanding work within the car park and his general attitude all round.

Barry is a pleasure to work with, he has a good strong work ethic and is very conscientious, the car park is looking great and it’s solely down to Barry.  I lead a training session regarding customer service in which we watch a DVD and afterwards Barry is used to give some great examples of customer services and understanding the importance of working as a team.  I feel Barry is an asset  to your company and even though he has only been with your company a short time, I believe  he as the potential  to be a supervisor, he as a great outlook and a positive attitude, and would be a great role model to others.

Please make sure Barry is acknowledged within your company and that he is aware that we appreciate and value him.

Kind Regards

Hayley Plews
Car Park Director.
Churchill Square Shopping Centre
Brighton

Shopping Centre Portfolio Addition

Dougland are pleased to announce yet another addition to our shopping centre portfolio, being Trinity Walk Shopping Centre in Wakefield.

The centre is relatively new at just eighteen months old, situated in the centre of Wakefield with a 1000 space car park, open walk-through malls and an array of top quality retail outlets.

Our service delivery commences on 18^th February 2013, and we have something of a challenge on our hands in bringing innovation and fresh ideas to the centre in an effort to ensure standards are met and maintained consistently throughout, something we are confident in being able to achieve by working closely with our client and cleaning teams at the centre.

Operations Manager, Patsy Kirk, takes responsibility for the contract supported by Regional Manager, Dean Minahan from our Birmingham Branch Office.

Photos of Mary's Retirement

We are delighted to show more photos of Mary Penn's retirement celebrations.  Mary retired from the Thistles Shopping Centre, Stirling on the 6th January 2013 after 36 years.

Photos show (clockwise): Mary being presented with a bouquet of flowers from the Centre Manager, Colin Moulson.  Martin McAtee, Dougland Site Manager, helps Mary cut her cake.  The Team at the Thistles.  Mary with Dougland Operations Director, Peter Simpson and Colin Moulson.

County Mall, Crawley Awarded

Dougland Support Services are delighted to announce the recent award of the very prestigious cleaning service contract at County Mall Crawley for the second time since its initial opening, and services will commence on 4^th February 2013.
Together with the main cleaning activities we will also undertake pest control, hygiene services, landscaping, food court and car park cleaning to the centre.

County Mall is the largest contract we will now hold on our shopping centre portfolio and yet another Standard Life location to our name, bringing the total to 8 Standard Life centres nationally, and that list we hope will continue to grow into 2013 and beyond.

Dougland continue to prove that we supply a high quality service of understanding our clients’ needs and also in bringing innovation to our business thus driving service delivery standards continually higher on behalf of our clients.

DOUGLAND WIN AWARDS FOR ITS LOOS

Dougland is delighted to have won 12 Loo of the Year Awards in the 2012 search to find the best ‘away from home’ toilets in the UK.

The 12 awards are as below:

2012 Champions League - Standards of Excellence Awards which is presented to any organisation or local authority with ten or more entries and winning five or more 5 Star Awards and who, in the opinion of the Inspectors, are maintaining a consistently high standard of management in all their Loo of the Year Awards entries.

A Platinum ‘Category Award Winner - Leisure & Recreation Centres’ for Charter Place, Uxbridge

A Gold ‘Category Award Winner – Offices, Commercial & Public’ for Ealing Broadway.

Dougland also became part of the Loo of the Year Awards: 50% Club - Multiple entry entrants with ten or more entries and Platinum, Gold and Silver Awards expressed as a percentage of total entries inspected above 50%, set out as below.

The Loo of the Year Awards and associated Att endant of the Year Awards for cleaning staff have been identifying the best in Britain since 1987 and are recognised as standard setters for all those who provide ‘away from home’ facilities for staff, customers and visitors.

Every entry received an unannounced visit from an authorised Loo of the Year Awards Inspector and was assessed against 100 judging criteria – including signage and décor, fixtures and fittings and overall standards of cleanliness and management, Every loo receives a grading ranging from Bronze to Platinum and Gold and Platinum winners are shortlisted for one of a number of National Awards covering England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Island and the Channel Islands.

Happy Retirement Mary!

After 36 years of sterling service, Mary Penn has finally decided to hang up her mop and bucket and retire on 6^th January 2013.

"Mary has been part of the furniture for the last 36 years at The Thistles Shopping Centre in Stirling, what a tremendous achievement from this wonderful lady, I'm sure we will miss her patrolling the malls at the centre, forever smiling and always warmly greeting everybody, shoppers, staff and management alike.  Whenever I visit the centre Mary is always there to welcome me back to Scotland, always cheerful, smiling, and happy, it's been a real pleasure to know her and on behalf of Dougland I would like to wish Mary a very happy and long retirement and hope she now takes things easy, she more than deserves it!"

Additional Contract Award for 2013

Dougland Support Services are pleased to announce yet another contract award, being The Shires Shopping Centre in Trowbridge, and will commence on 2nd January 2013.  The centre has been voted best shopping centre in Wiltshire for the eighth time by readers of the Wiltshire Times and is also home to Trowbridge Museum.

Operations Manager, Patsy Kirk, says she is delighted to be going into 2013 with a new contract that has already been awarded to us, which now sets us up for a very busy period and hopefully with further additions to the portfolio to follow soon.

A special well done must also go to our National Development Manager, Dirk Mills, who has worked very hard to ensure that this contract was awarded to Dougland by understanding the client's needs and requirements as far as cleaning services are concerned.

Five Valleys Charity Walk Update

We are pleased to announce that our senior management team recently completed the 21 mile Five Valleys Walk, in aid of the Meningitis Trust and supporting our client, The Eastgate Shopping Centre, Gloucester, in this good cause.  They did not quite reach their fundraising target figure but came very close, so well done to all who represented the company and gave up their weekend to complete the walk.

On behalf of our Operations Director, Peter Simpson, we would also like to thank the team members who made this possible:
Operations Manager, Patsy Kirk
Contracts Manager, Dean Minahan and
Contracts Manager, Stephen Williams

Thank you for your fantastic efforts and well done!

We would also like to give a heartfelt thanks to those of you that donated to this very worthy charity and it is greatly appreciated.  We will be back again next year and will hopefully double our team numbers and contribution to this cause.

Five Valleys Charity Walk

We are pleased to announce that Dougland’s team of senior management are embarking on yet another charity event in aid of the Meningitis Trust in conjunction with one of our clients “Eastgate Shopping Centre” on the 30^th September 2012, we have entered a team of six and have set a target of raising £1,500 on behalf of the charity.

The walk is through the famous Five Valleys in the beautiful Gloucestershire countryside, consisting of a 21 mile circular route which will be a very tough task for the team, says Operations Director, Peter Simpson.  We are confident of completing the course and being able to reach our target figure for the charity and are absolutely delighted to be invited to partake in such a worthwhile cause.

Any donations will be greatly received for this cause and can be sent to our Head Office address:  Dougland Support Services Ltd, Segensworth West, Fareham, Hampshire, PO15 5SN, and marked for the attention of Peter Simpson, who will of course keep you fully informed of their progress.

For more information on the walk and the Meningitis Trust follow the link below:
http://www.meningitis-trust.org/fundraising/events/walkers/five-valleys-walk/ 

Two new Shopping Centres!

We are pleased to announce that Dougland have done it again!  Our National Development Manager, Dirk Mills, has recently been awarded two new Shopping Centres: The Avenue, Poole and The Old George Mall, Salisbury.  Both of these contracts will commence on 1 October 2012.

Executive Accounts Manager, Sharon Williamson, will add these shopping centres to her portfolio.  Sharon stated that she is looking forward to the new challenges that lay ahead.

Dougland continue to be successful in 2012 and long may this continue.

Sovereign Centre, Boscombe

Dougland are delighted to announce the award of a new Shopping Centre in Boscombe.  The Sovereign Shopping Centre commenced on 1 August 2012.  This is our second Centre in the Bournemouth region.

Operations Director, Mark Day, stated that he is confident that his team, with their continued hard work and dedication, will make the Sovereign Shopping Centre a success, as with all our other contracts in our ever increasing portfolio.

Special thanks should go out to Dirk Mills, National Development Manager, who continues to be successful in the current financial climate.

NVQ Training & Dougland's Commitment to Quality

Following ongoing Quality Committee discussions, Peter Simpson, Operations Director, in close association with Jason McArthur, Payroll & HR Admin Manager, have started work on rolling out phase 2 of our Client Quality project.

As part of our ongoing commitment to providing an industry leading quality service to all our clients, it has been agreed, that HIT, http://www.hittraining.co.uk/ are to provide NVQ training to all site managers & supervisors, to NVQ Level 3 – Hospitality, Supervision & Leadership.

In addition to this initiative, it has also been agreed that NVQ Level 2 – Cleaning, will be provided to all employees working at contracts with over 200 hours per week, and for those who wish to progress, they will have the option to train to a higher standard, i.e. NVQ Level 3 – Team Leading, which will provide a higher standard in English, Maths & IT skills.

It is Dougland’s aim to become the service industry leaders in providing the very highest standard of quality cleaning, management & customer satisfaction.  

New contract award in Midlands

Dougland Support Services are delighted to announce another new contract addition to their shopping centre sector being "The Three Spires" in Lichfield, commencing on 1^st August 2012.

Operations Director, Peter Simpson, commented: ‘Although we have only had a short lead in period of two weeks to prepare since the contract award, we are confident of yet another smooth start-up.’

Apprenticeships in Cleaning and Environmental Services

Dougland are currently working in partnership with one of our major clients Jones Lang LaSalle, who are a key property managing agent across Europe and the UK, in introducing to our industry national apprenticeships in different parts of the country and Scotland.

This initiative is a way forward to putting something back into the community and hopefully helping enthusiastic individuals build what could be a promising and exciting career in the service industry sector for the right persons who are willing to serve a one year apprenticeship working at site based level alongside our cleaning teams and site cleaning  managers, whilst learning the basic skills required they will also be gaining knowledge of all aspects of Health and Safety awareness, progressing on to budgetary controls, planning of shift patterns and working with major national suppliers of cleaning machinery, materials and consumables as well as hygiene and pest control services.  Candidates will also be working closely with major clients, progressing on to working with our national sales team quoting new business setting up of new contracts, negotiating and the continued operating of the business thereafter.

Operations Director, Peter Simpson, says these apprenticeships are nationally recognised and offer an excellent way of mastering practical skills in the workplace and will give the right persons the opportunity to train as they work and earn money, and more importantly build a future.

The apprenticeships will be ‘gold standard in the workplace training’ and aim to produce well rounded, effective employees with up to date knowledge as well as technical competence.

The benefits are development of Personal, Learning, and Thinking Skills (PLTS) – which are essential in all workplaces such as effective participators, self-managers, independent enquirers, creative thinkers, reflective learners and team workers.

In return, the benefit to the employer is that a well-trained qualified employee will bring improved productivity and profitability, fill skills gaps now and in the future, improve our levels of service, and finally bring somebody into the industry not only now but for the future.

Peter says that since the idea was put to Dougland, both he and our Managing Director, Barrie Richards, have moved very quickly to set up meetings with the National Apprenticeship Service, who have in turn introduced three providers who will assist in selecting who they think will be the most suitable candidates to fill these exciting positions, which will break new ground in our industry and put something back into communities that need employers such as Dougland to show support in this way.

Contract Award

Dougland have recently commenced yet another new contract in the south of England, being The Martlets in Burgess Hill, which we are delighted to have been awarded and to yet again be able to increase our portfolio of shopping centres, which seems to be growing by the month and is most encouraging for the company and the management team.

We have steady growth and stability within the industry with a very settled management team delivering a service which is second to none.

We are prepared as always, and it is the smaller contracts such as these that get treated in exactly the same way as the much bigger and more prestigious contracts, whether it be a one cleaner or twenty cleaner operation, and that’s why our clients have the confidence to continually award such contracts.

Operations Manager, Ray Michael, takes responsibility for this location and its start up programme, and is delighted by the addition.

Addition to Shopping Centre Portfolio

Dougland are pleased to announce yet another shopping centre contract award, being The Broadwalk Centre in Edgeware, North London, which commences at the beginning of June 2012.  Operations Director, Mark Day, says: “My management team and I are looking forward to the challenge ahead of us, but are confident we can deliver a service that meets all the requirements of our new client.”

“As a company we are proud of the fact that Jones Lang LaSalle continue to have the confidence in us to award such prestigious locations.”

Contract Re-Award

Dougland have secured the re-award of Brighton’s Premier Day and Night Waterfront destination at Brighton Marina, for the third term, offering best value for money, understanding of the prestigious nature of X-Leisure business, and proven management support.  A well-earned applause goes to the on-site team and management for their support and hard efforts.

The extreme winter conditions in contrast to the “sunny days” of summer make this outdoor attraction one of the most challenging of environments for even the hardiest of cleaning staff, and we believe this is accomplished by a “can-do” approach.

Congratulations and well done to all concerned!

Contract Extension

Dougland are delighted to announce another contract extension for Broadwalk Shopping Centre in Bristol.  Operations Director, Peter Simpson, says he is delighted that although the client had decided to “test the market” after our three year contract came to an end on the 31st March 2012, they had chosen to remain with Dougland.

This is particularly pleasing given the fact we were up against tough opposition from our competitors in the industry, but our client chose us once again and not just because of the price, but for our quality of service delivery which has been evident from the very first day of contract start up.

In this present difficult economic climate it is just as difficult to retain existing business as it to win new contracts, and that is mainly down to the contract management team understanding the needs of their client base and taking the proactive approach.

G Casino New Brighton

Dougland have recently worked closely with Grosvenor Casinos in the preparation for the opening of their casino in New Brighton, Liverpool.  Our remit was to assist in the preparation of staff levels, advising on machinery requirements and staff training, and setting up window cleaning services based on the clients requirements.

We train the staff in methods of cleaning, and how to clean and maintain the wide range of new fabrics being introduced to the new builds across the Mecca & Grosvenor estate, thereby ensuring that all clubs meet the very high standard that is required and expected from our client.

Mobile cleaning teams are provided to carry out the initial clean, ensuring the club opens in pristine condition, which is very difficult at times as you are working around the many contractors carrying out their trades, but is most rewarding when you see the end result.

New Shopping Centre contract award

Following hot on the heels of the contract award of Ealing Broadway Shopping Centre, comes the award of the prestigious Churchill Square Shopping Centre in central Brighton.

Services are to commence mid May 2012 and plans are already taking shape in readiness to commence what will be one of the largest centres in the Dougland portfolio.

Dougland continue to grow in difficult economic times and this is due to the fact that we listen to what our clients want and expect from their contractors, and that is value for money with a service that improves and is maintained.  This is why we continue to succeed in these difficult times and our contract awards continue at a good rate.

Operations Director, Peter Simpson, said: “To be awarded the contract at Churchill Square, means that we have had a very busy first half of the year, and credit must go to our National Development Manager, Dirk Mills, who has worked tirelessly to ensure continued growth, but it also means that our reputation goes before us, with our motto being:

Pride-Passion-Energy-That is Dougland!”

New Addition to Shopping Centre Portfolio

Dougland are proud to announce yet another contract award, being Ealing Broadway Shopping Centre in west London.  Services are to commence from 1^st May 2012.

“With the centre being in a prime location and in a very busy part of London, it will present quite a challenge for our operational team, but we are confident that we can deliver, as always, a first class service with innovation, forward thinking and the usual proactive approach we take on all of our business”, says Operations Director, Peter Simpson.

This award further strengthens our partnership with Jones Lang LaSalle, increasing our shopping centre portfolio to sixteen locations in England and Scotland.

The operations team are really looking forward to the commencement of this centre and working closely with the centre management who have shown that they are confident we can deliver the first class service they expect and more importantly, that we know we can deliver.

Thistles clean sweep at Loo of the Year

Stirling’s Thistles shopping mall has cleaned up big style at the British Toilet Association Attendant of the Year and Loo of the Year awards ceremony.

Alongside its Customer Service Cleaning Partner Dougland, it’s picked up Attendant of the Year, Champions League and Category Winners awards.

Geraldine El Masrour, marketing Manager at The Thistles, told the Observer that the centre had been striving to improve its Customer Service Facilities over the past year following the introduction of a new Customer Charter.

She added: “The Thistles are proud to work in conjunction with Dougland to offer our shoppers the very best facilities.  These awards prove that the continued efforts and commitment of our staff is all worth it”

Meanwhile, Dougland has been given the gold seal of approval in the Kimberly-Clark Awards recently.  The Support Services were nominated finalists out of 133 entries from across the UK and Ireland for both service delivery, Innovation of the Year and Best Cleaned Premises (Large Retail Establishment) for their work at The Thistles, Stirling.

http://www.stirlingobserver.co.uk/stirling-news/local-news-stirling/news-stirling/2012/04/04/thistles-clean-up-in-loo-awards-51226-30685884/

- Article from the Stirling Observer, Wednesday 4^th April 2012

Ref.: wpsow140312thistle-3

Top Toilets

Staff at a Perry Barr shopping centre are flushed with success after scooping a coveted Loo of the Year award.

The One Stop Shopping Centre on Walsall Road has been accredited a five-star rating in the annual search for quality water closets by the Independent British Toilet Association, which seeks to recognise high standards in public toilets.

“The team at One Stop work hard to ensure our facilities meet the high standards of our customers,” said the One Stop’s new centre manager, Mark Burbridge.

“We’re proud to have received such a high accreditation in the Loo of the Year awards, and feel this recognises the dedication our team have put into creating a clean and pleasant environment throughout the centre.”

It seems the centre is on a roll after receiving the Park Mark award for safer parking and the ISO 14001 for environmental management and overseeing improvements in cleaning, maintenance and security, which have resulted in a reduction of crime figures.

- Article from the Observer, Friday 6^th April 2012

Ref.: CS_HZ6G6468-GO

Yet Another Casino Award For Rank

Dougland have again been awarded a new contract with Rank Gaming, at the G Casino Didsbury, near Manchester.  This location is a new build due to open in mid-February.  Contracts Manager, Colette Tomlinson, says she is delighted to be commencing this new contract, "the new club looks fantastic with excellent decor and a very welcoming feel about it and in a prime location". 

This now brings the total number of casinos and bingo halls to 116, with more planned to be added to the portfolio throughout the year, so our operations teams are looking at a very busy 2012.

New Contract Award

Dougland Support Services are once again delighted to announce yet another contract award being "The Atrium" at Camberley. Operations Director Peter Simpson says "this contract has been awarded on the strength of past and present performance showing that our client, Jones Lang LaSalle, have the confidence and belief in our ability to provide an excellent service delivery to its client base".

The new contract commences on the 20th February 2012, with a team of ten staff transferring over to Dougland under TUPE regulations. The location is a mixture of restaurants and leisure facilities on four floor levels, so will be a challenge which will as usual be met head on by the strong operations team we have in place who are certainly looking forward to the commencement and challenge ahead.

KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* Golden Service Awards 2011

Attended by over 600 professionals from small, medium and large contract cleaning firms and in-house teams were welcomed at the prestigious Golden Service Awards ceremony at the Lancaster London Hotel on Friday 4th November 2011, hosted by Chris Hollins (TV Presenter and winner of Strictly Come Dancing), to announce the finalists of individual categories for specific sectors of our business.

Dougland were nominated finalists out of 133 entries from across the UK and Ireland for both Service Delivery, Innovation of the Year and Best Cleaned Premises (Large Retail Establishment) for the Thistles Shopping Centre in Stirling, Scotland.

Congratulations to the whole team for their efforts and well earned accolade.

Loo of the Year Awards 2012

After yet another successful year for the company, we are proud to announce prestigious awards within the industry for National Winner - Attendant of the Year, Champions League and Category Winners - Loo of the Year, which have been awarded as a result of hard work and diligence shown by teams and individual cleaners in their place of work, truly an “Oscar” within our profession.

The award ceremonies were held at the Chesford Grange Hotel in Kenilworth on 2^nd December 2011, hosted by the British Toilet Association with Sean Williamson (from Eastenders) being the after lunch speaker, for which we were awarded 13 x 5 Gold Star Awards and 7 x 4 Silver Star Awards on various sites throughout the UK.

On behalf of the Directors at Dougland, a big thank you and well done to all of those involved.

Mark Day joins us as the Operations Director for the Southern Region

Mark Day joins us as the Operations Director for the Southern Region. He has worked in some of the largest cities in England, setting up new divisions and building up client portfolios.

He has worked within the industry for over ten years, covering all aspects of the cleaning industry, from the commercial sector right through to the food sector.

During this time he worked along side some of the biggest blue chip companies and Facilities Management Teams.

His vast industry knowledge will help Dougland grow and develop the southern region, by building long term partnerships with existing clients and by using his wealth of experience to secure new contracts.

We wish Mark well in his new role.

New Shopping Centre Opening

Dougland Support Services have been recently awarded the new Parkway Shopping Centre in Newbury thus increasing our Standard Life portfolio even further, the centre boasts a number of very high profile and discerning tenants which will be demanding high standards which we are confident of achieving for our client and more importantly maintaining.

The centre opened on the 27^th October looking in pristine condition thanks to all the hard work and effort our “Special Projects” team supported by the on-site cleaning team and senior management put in working virtually round the clock to ensure a seamless handover to our client was in place. We are extremely proud to have been awarded such a prestigious centre and are striving to ensure that the ISO14001 (Environmental Management Systems) is accredited as early as possible by working closely with centre management says Operations Director Peter Simpson.

We are delighted to announce the promotion of Sonia Costa at our new contract The Parkway Shopping Centre Newbury, Sonia originally joined us as our on-site supervisor but very quickly established herself and made her mark in this role so much so that just as soon as the Centre Cleaning Manager vacancy became apparent it was obvious to us that she was the one to take up the challenge.

Sonia has taken on a very challenging role but I am sure she will be a great asset to us in her new role and judging by what I have seen so far she has already built a strong relationship with the centre management and her cleaning team and understands the need to take a very proactive approach to running this new prestigious location.

"I am sure you will all join me in wishing Sonia every success in her new role for the company" says Operations Director, Peter Simpson.

New Casino Addition - G Casino, Stockton-On-Tees

Dougland Support Services have added yet another new casino to their national business, located in Stockton-On–Tees, which should have opened on the 19th September. Patsy Kirk, National Operations Manager, and her team ensured that the club opened its doors looking absolutely pristine for our client the Rank Group and their new clients, although it took two attempts.

Patsy said, “Unfortunately, it did not go without a hitch on this occasion due to a burst pipe on the second floor causing extensive flooding throughout on the very day of opening night, but, thanks to quick thinking all round, the damage caused was minimal.  With teams quickly deployed from our  Swindon Special Projects Department and the management team on site working alongside other contractors, having to work throughout the night and day carrying out a cleanup operation which was very successful, there was virtually no damage to the new fabric and fittings caused. My team and I were a little shocked to say the least; we had finished and walked the building feeling proud of what we had achieved only for the the water to come gushing down on us from above.  My team worked flat out, basically starting again, but we got there in the end, although totally exhausted and a little wet!”

“Our Operations Director, Peter Simpson, was far from happy - he was on his way back to Southampton to watch his beloved football team, but there was no way I was going to allow him to do that and miss all the hard work required,” said Patsy, “and I don't think he has forgiven me yet.”

“Well Done to the Operations Team for an excellent effort all round for without this hard work and pulling on all our resources there was no way this Club would have opened so soon after the disaster.” said Operations Director, Peter Simpson.  “I'm proud of Patsy and her team for their hard work and efforts put in.  They are a credit to the Company.”

New contract wins at Dougland Swindon Branch

The last couple of months have been very successful for our Swindon branch with new business being awarded from Stonegate Pub Company & Glendola Leisure Ltd. Both these contracts are for supplying cleaning of the kitchen extraction systems and has added to the portfolio of high profile clients that include Mitchells & Butlers, Hall & Woodhouse, Wadworths & Co, Pub People, Bath Ales & Burger King. This new business continues the growth at Swindon in very difficult economical conditions, but everyone involved is looking forward to the challenges this new business will bring.

Two New Appointments

We have two new people joining our management team in different parts of the country, working from our Swindon Branch.

The first being John Richardson, taking up the role of Area Contracts Manager for Scotland, working on our national Rank Gaming portfolio.  John joins us with a wealth of cleaning experience having worked with one of our competitors in the market up there in Scotland.

Mike Kelly joins us at our Swindon Branch, as an Operations Manager, taking up responsibility for a number of key accounts with a remit to build our already growing business in the South and Southwest.  Mike also joins us with a cleaning background having been involved with a number of cleaning companies in senior management roles.

We are sure both new recruits will be a success in their new positions.               Photo from left to right:  Mike Kelly and John Richardson

Double delight as Quedam again scoops award

The Quedam Shopping Centre, Yeovil is celebrating winning the Environmental Award in the Western Gazette 2011 Business Awards for the second year running. The Centre retained this prestigious award for its recycling and energy savings schemes

The Centre recycling schemes - which are operated in alliance with Dougland Support Services (cleaning services) and Futur (waste and recycling services) - managed to recycle over 50% of the Centre’s waste and in fact the weight of recycled materials (91.3 tonnes) is about the same as 77 average sized cars!  The Centre recycles many materials, but the main ones are cardboard, polythene, food and paper.

In respect of energy, the Centre saved an amazing 92,645 units of electricity in the year ending 31 March 2011. This was done via a variety of methods but a major factor was the replacing a significant part of the Centre’s Christmas bulbs with LED lights, a change that both improved light quality and contributed to a 21% drop in power usage in December 2010

David Mills, Manager of the Quedam Centre, said “It was a big challenge to retain this award as we had some tough competition, but our strategy is to never be satisfied with what we have achieved and every year we will look to recycle more and use less energy”

David Mills was keen to also stress that the award have been won only because of a genuine team effort he said  "The key to recycling more and saving energy is to get everyone signed up to the concept. Without the efforts of every cleaner, security officer and shop on the Centre, we would not be able to do what we have. Our partnership with Dougland Support Services and Futur also plays a key role as all three organisations are committed to the same values regarding maximising recycling".


Attached picture shows David Lacey (Quedam Centre Operations Manager) and Wayne Morgan (Cleaning Supervisor - Dougland Support Services) with the award.

One more Shopping Centre

We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded the Central Square Shopping Centre in Birmingham, commencing 1st August.

We have quite a bit of work to do at the Centre but our management are confident that they can deliver a cleaning service the new Centre Manager, Anthony Roper, will be very pleased with in the coming months and, more importantly, maintain.

Octagon Shopping Centre

We are delighted to announce a further two year extension of the cleaning contract at The Octagon Shopping Centre in Burton-On-Trent.

“It is very pleasing to know that the client, Centre Manager, Peter Hardingham, has the confidence in Dougland Support Services to continue delivering a service  that fully meets the client and tenants expectations.  Our cleaning team do an excellent job on a day to day basis keeping the Centre in pristine conditions at all times and are a credit to the Company and the Centre.” says Operations Director, Peter Simpson.

This contract award means we have been providing services at the Octagon for 10 years.

New Contract Wins

The last two months have been very successful for Dougland in terms of new business.

In April we successfuly started Market Place Shopping Centre in Burgess Hill, The Martlets - Crawley, Renaissance 2200 in Basingstoke and the prestigious Winchester Guildhall.

May has already seen start ups at The Brunswick, London and the Eastgate Shopping Centre in Gloucester.

Peter Simpson's Hearts and Heroes Challenge

On the 14th May, Peter took part in the Hearts and Heroes Challenge that took place in Scotland.

The event is a 12-hour walking or running challenge across a 29-mile section of the picturesque Southern Upland Way. There are three finish points available - bronze (12 miles), silver (21 miles) and gold (29 miles), so that participants of all levels of fitness can aim for a target that suits them.

The challenge is held every year in aid of rugby charity Hearts & Balls and veterans’ charity, PoppyScotland. All funds raised will go to help injured rugby players as well as veterans and their families living in Scotland.

Peter achieved a bronze medal and completed the walk in 5 hours 18 minutes.

He says, "I have to say I seriously underestimated this challenge with no training or preparation in readiness to complete, but complete I did and I am very proud of my achievement, because it was very tough and painful to say the least!  It was more a case of mountain climbing as opposed to a walk, with blisters the size of golf balls and pain to contend with which I have never experienced before."

To see proof of Peter's achievement, please go to http://www.heartsandheroes.co.uk, where you will also see more information on the event.  We will also be uploading photos very soon.

There is still time to sponsor Peter to help him achieve his goal of £1000.  Please visit http://my.artezglobal.com/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=355910&langPref=en-CA.

Well done Peter!

Best employee at One Stop

We are delighted to announce that for the first quarter of the year, one of our cleaning team, Fazal Best, at the One Stop Shopping Centre, Birmingham, has been awarded the Customer Service Award for his efforts and help to shoppers and our client alike.

"This award was well earned by Faz, going that 'extra mile', which is particularly pleasing given the fact Security are also included in the opportunity to win this award and are more likely to be at the 'coalface' when it comes to dealing with customers to the Centre." says Operations Manager, Peter Simpson.

Our client, Centre Operations Manager, Mark Burbridge, also added, "Faz has come on in leaps and bounds this year and well deserves the award and recognition for his efforts to the Centre and Dougland Support Services."

Faz was awarded a certificate of achievement from the Centre and a £50 gift voucher is on its way as a "thank you" from the Company.

Award Winners at The Thistles, Stirling

We send our congratulations and thanks to Martin McAtee our Site Manager and Soner Akgul, Cleaning Operative, at The Thistles Shopping Centre in Stirling, both of whom won Employee of the Month Awards.

The awards were open to both Cleaning staff and Security staff, "To win two employees of the month was very gratifying knowing that this award is not only for cleaning but security as well.  It was our team that were recognised and stood out for their efforts and so have obviously made their mark." said Peter Simpson, Operations Director.

Martin won his award as recognition of his efforts as Site Manager since Dougland gained the contract in November 2010.  Soner's award was in recognition of his work and efforts in the car park which has never looked so good.  His hard work and dedication to duties in this area had not gone unnoticed by the client.

Barrie Richards, Dougland's Managing Director, and Peter Simpson both attended the Award Ceremony at the Centre on 5th May.

New Chas Accreditation

Dougland are delighted to announce that on 1st April this year we were successfully accredited within the Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme (CHAS) having demonstrated compliance with and sound management of current basic health and safety legislation. 

Environmentally Friendly

Dougland Support Services Ltd are currently assisting both The Thistles Shopping Centre in Stirling and One-Stop Shopping Centre in Birmingham in gaining their ISO14001 accreditations.

Both Centres are managed by Jones Lang LaSalle and, as their dedicated cleaning services provider and also a Company who has proudly gained our ISO14001 accreditation, JLL have asked Dougland to assist in the initial preparation leading up to the accreditation audits taking place in May.

There is a huge amount of work concerned at both Centres but by way of working together in partnership on the project, we should see favourable results later in the year.

 

Bournemouth to Aberdeen in a day

Ian McMillan, one of our operatives from Castlepoint Shopping Park, Bournemouth, will be hitch hiking from Bournemouth to Aberdeen in ONE DAY to raise money for MacMillan Cancer Support.

He will be carrying out this rather challenging task on Tuesday 24th May.

If you are interested in sponsoring Ian for this very worthy cause, or just wish to send him an encouraging message, he can be reached on johnmason02@hotmail.com.

Perhaps you may even see a lone hitch hiker if you are driving that way?  If so, give him a lift!!

Please follow this link for more information.

http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Fundraising/Inyourarea/England/Dorset/Local_news/BournemouthtoAberdeeninaDay.aspx

10th Annual Managers Conference

Operations Director, Chris Dickens' Annual Managers Conference was held over 15th and 16th March this year and was the 10th annual conference to be held.

Assembled at the Botley Park Hotel in Southampton were approximately 25 of Chris' management team who took part in general discussion, presentations from various suppliers and also a team building exercise which involved dressing a 'mummy'.

Among the presentation winners were Lino Guinto, who was officially recognised for dealing with a particularly traumatic and sensitive incident that happened at the Bentall Centre earlier in the year.  Lino accepted the award on behalf of his team.

Other awards went to Sue Blackburn based at Vicar Lane, Chesterfield who had been given a special mention by our client there, Carlos Barreiros, National Archives, for long service and also Sharon Williamson, Area Manager, by special request from one of her Managers who asked that Sharon receive some form of reward for her help and support.  There were many awards and presentations throughout the conference and no-one went home empty handed.

Again, the conference was found to be beneficial to all and we look forward to the next conference next year. 

New Year's day at the 235 Casino, Manchester

The New Year started with another new cleaning contract for Peter Simpson's operations team. Peter and his team worked throughout the New Year's day Bank Holiday to mobilise the cleaning service for this state-of-the-art gaming venue. The addition of London Clubs International to our leisure portfolio represents significant growth in this niche sector.

Philip Neumann 24 August 1945 - 18 November 2010

Philip Neumann, who was employed by Dougland at Whiteley Village in Fareham, sadly passed away on the 18th November 2010.  He will be sorely missed.

Phil has worked for Dougland since October 1993, he was a hard working member of staff who was popular with his colleagues and held in high regard by our clients. He never missed a day.

Many braved what was one of our worst days of snow on 2nd December to attend his funeral and pay their respects.

Our thoughts are with his family: Marilyn, his wife, and sons, Jonathan and Matthew.

Dougland hit the ground running at The Thistles

New appointment

Two new Shopping Centres

One Stop Annual Charity Ball

Tidy Business Awards - Kingston

Stephen Williams

Grosvenor Casino Scarborough

Scottish Region

New Minimum Wage Rate from 1 October 2010

Farewell Olive

Willing to travel....

Maria Hantig, our Site Manager at St Anns Shopping Centre in Harrow, went over and above the call of duty recently when she found herself stranded in Romania during the recent airline disruption caused by the volcanic eruption in Iceland.

Having taken leave to visit Romania, Maria was due back to work early Sunday morning but found herself 'grounded' when she tried to leave on Friday.

By way of alternative transport, Maria left Romania at 1200 on Friday, by coach, from there she travelled to Hungary, arriving at 2000, then onto Austria managing to get there at 0400 Saturday.  Maria went on to arrive in Germany at 1200 and Belgium at 1600 - all by coach! 

Once Maria arrived in France at 1800, she got a ferry across the channel arriving in good old England at 2100 Saturday.

After that marathon journey, Maria managed to turn up for work only 10 minutes late!!!

Well done Maria!! That's what we call dedication!

Carlos Barreiros and Janet Stephens win Manager of the Year Award

This years Manager of the Year Award saw joint winners, Carlos Barreiros from the National Archives and Janet Stephens from Victoria Coach Station.  Congratulations to you both!

Our client at National Archives were so impressed at Carlos' success that they ran an article in their in-house magazine.....

9th Annual Manager's Conference

On the 16th and 17th March we held the 9th Annual Managers Meeting for Chris Dickens' region.

24 Managers gathered at Botley Park & Country Club from as far north as Chesterfield, Yeovil from the west and Dartford in the east. 

The two-day conference included the Managing Director's address, a suppliers seminar, discussions with Head Office departmental managers, a quiz and annual awards to the staff including, Broken Disc Award, Loo of the Year Awards and Manager of the Year - joint winners: Janet Stephens and Carlos Barreiros.

"It is extremely important that we all get the opportunity to meet each other and be able to discuss matters that are important to us.  Sharing experiences and finding solutions to problems through discussion is just one of the benefits of this conference." said Operations Director, Chris Dickens.  "Dougland value our staff and realise that it is the people at the 'rockface' that make the Company as successful as it is."

"Looking around this room I feel immensely proud," said Managing Director Barrie Richards, "this is what it is all about - people with similar jobs and responsibilities, who would not normally get the chance to meet, sharing problems and helping each other out."

Next year will be the 10th Annual Meeting and Chris will be organising something special to mark the anniversary.

Extensions to contracts

Dougland's current cleaning contract at Brighton Marina, which commenced in March 2007, has just been extended further from its original term from the 1 March 2010.  Our Client there is "extremely happy" with our service delivery and stated that it was an "easy decision to make".

This recent success, comes hot on the heels of two other contract extensions.  At the very end of 2009 we were informed by Victoria Coach Station that our contract, which we have proudly held since January 2002, will be continued for a further period from January.

And more good news - our work at the prestigious National Archives, has been rewarded by a further extension of a number of years from April 1st.  We have now been carrying out cleaning services at the National Archives in Kew since 2000 and we are delighted to be able to continue our work there.

Well done to all our staff who have contributed in giving our clients the confidence in Dougland to continue to deliver professional and consistent service levels.

Trolley Management System at Castlepoint

On the 1st January 2010 Dougland will commence a new Trolley Management contract at Castlepoint in Bournemouth.  The contract involves 18 staff, including a Full Time Trolley Manager, who will be responsible for circulating the trolleys from around the various car park locations to ensure there are always plenty for customers in the trolley bays outside the stores in Castlepoint.  We will also be collecting 'stray' trolleys that have found their way to bus stops, housing areas, etc.
Another part of the contract will be the maintenance and repair of the trolley fleet so that visitors to the Centre will always be able to find a trolley for their shopping needs!

More new business...

Dougland are delighted to add the Sovereign Centre in Weston Super Mare to their portfolio as from the beginning of November.  Situated right in the centre of the town, the Sovereign Centre is a very busy shopping mall featuring some of the biggest names in the British retail scene.  Dougland are proud to provide the cleaning and related services to this Centre.

ISO 14001:2004 Certification

Dougland can now confirm that as from October 29 2009, our management system has been assessed and we are now fully certified as meeting the requirements of ISO14001:2004 for the following activities: The provision of cleaning and related services to shopping centres, airports, local authorities and industry.

Recommendation for ISO 14001:2004 (EMS) Certification

New Business....

New Shopping Centre Contracts

New Look Dougland

Site Manager's Conference

Gloria takes a well earned break...