Latest Dougland News

  • New Manager Appointed

    25 January 2012

    New Manager Appointed

    We have a new manager joining our ranks who will be based at The Palace Gardens Shopping Centre, Enfield whose name is Gaynor Jones. Gaynor joined us on the 16th January, and is taking up this demanding role in what is a very busy shopping centre.

    Joining us with a vast amount of cleaning and management experience, having worked in the service delivery industry for 10 years, we are particularly pleased to have been able to have recruited such an experienced person for this role and are sure she will be a success and have a long enjoyable association with Dougland.



  • Yet Another Casino Award For Rank

    25 January 2012

    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

    23 January 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

    13 January 2012

    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

    22 December 2011

    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 2nd 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

    06 December 2011

    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

    24 November 2011

    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 27th 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

    14 October 2011

    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

    24 August 2011

    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

    26 July 2011

    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

    08 July 2011

    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

    08 July 2011

    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

    20 June 2011

    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

    20 May 2011

    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

    20 May 2011

    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

    16 May 2011

    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

    11 May 2011

    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

    18 April 2011

    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

    15 April 2011

    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

    14 April 2011

    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

    08 April 2011

    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

    05 January 2011

    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

    30 November 2010

    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

    24 November 2010

    Dougland hit the ground running at The Thistles Four weeks into an extremely successful start up at The Thistles in Stirling, both Dougland and the Centre Management are delighted with how the Centre is looking.  Scott Wells, Centre Manager, in a recent meeting with Peter Simpson, Dougland Operations Director, gave high praise to the Company - "Dougland are on fire!"

    Arduous manual work has been cut back with the use of machinery, giving more time to concentrate on detail work within the Centre.  Dougland are quickly establishing themselves as a hard working and efficient company on site, with more plans for the future to bring about better management controls and more effective working practices.

    Dougland will also be taking part in a charity event in the Highlands on the 11th and 12th June.  Our Operations Director, Peter Simpson, will be taking part in a sponsored walk which will be the Caledonian Challenge Walk.  The walk will be a serious challenge consisting of 54 miles over hilly terrain, to be completed in less than 24 hours, and should not be underestimated.
    It is in aid of various children's charities in Scotland and we will all be supporting Peter in this undertaking and raising as much as we can in sponsorship for the charities.

    More information can be found on www.caledonianchallenge.com

    Photo opposite shows, from left to right: Martin McAtee - Dougland Site Manager, Liz and Norman - Mall Attendants and Shaun Collins - Dougland Area Manager.

  • New appointment

    05 November 2010

    New appointment We have a new member recently appointed to our management team north of the border, who has been recruited to take responsibility for The Thistles Shopping Centre, Stirling.  His name is Martin McAtee.

    Martin joins us from the 8th November 2010 taking on the demanding but very prestigious role at what is one of the largest Shopping Centres in Scotland.

    Operations Director, Peter Simpson, says Martin is made for this role with his knowledge and management experience and as such has very high hopes of him for the future and is sure be will play a vital part in our expansion plans in Scotland and the north.

  • Two new Shopping Centres

    21 October 2010

    Dougland Support Services has been appointed as the cleaning supplier for two UK Shopping Centres.

    Stuart Conroy, Commercial Director, stated, "As the Government spending cuts start to affect the retail sector, I believe more Shopping Centre Managers will want to take advantage of our unique service model, which combines improving cleaning standards with increased efficiency and lower costs."

  • One Stop Annual Charity Ball

    24 September 2010

    One Stop Annual Charity Ball Once again Dougland Support Services have sponsored this annual charity event in October with a table for twelve guests. We are extremely proud of the fact we have been involved in this charity event in aid of The Charlie Ramsey Fund, Charlie was born in August 2001 with a heart condition and this charity funds research into this condition, to help other children like her.

    “We have been actively involved for the last three years and it’s a privilege to be able to support a charity for such a worthy cause, we not only sponsor this event but the annual golf day and greyhound racing events throughout the year which has been brought about by our close working association with “The One Stop Shopping Centre” and our client, Mark Burbridge.” says Operations Director, Peter Simpson. To find out more about this charity visit: http://crrf.org.uk/

  • Tidy Business Awards - Kingston

    17 September 2010

    Tidy Business Awards - Kingston Businesses in Kingston have spent the past year cleaning up after themselves getting ready for the annual Tidy Business Awards.  For the third year in a row, the awards were handed out to town centre businesses who have shown a responsible and practical attitude towards their waste management.

    The businesses are split into Gold, Silver and Bronze categories, with special awards handed to those who have gone above and beyond.

    Dougland are proud to be linked to two of the Gold Award winners, The Bentall Centre and Eden Walk, where we carry out the cleaning services on site.

    The Bentall Centre received recycler of the year, used as the centre for baling almost all the cardboard collected in the town centre businesses’ recycling scheme, so fewer journeys are made into Kingston when it is taken to be recycled.  Also, for providing free training for the recycling team.

    Also, Eden Walk received a Gold Award, see photo opposite showing our very own Aziz Skaili, Site Manager, front row centre.

  • Stephen Williams

    10 September 2010

    We are delighted to announce that we have a new member of our Rank Gaming national management team in the London area, his name is Stephen Williams who joins us with a wealth of experience in the cleaning and support industry.  Operations Director, Peter Simpson, feels he will be a valuable addition to his already very experienced team on what is a very demanding contract, it being a seven-day service delivery.  Stephen will have to hit the ground running after his initial training period. I am sure you will all wish Stephen every success in his new position and that he enjoys a long association with Dougland Support Services.

  • Grosvenor Casino Scarborough

    03 September 2010

    There has been a recent addition to our portfolio of our national Casinos, being Grosvenor Scarborough, which was set up successfully, as usual.

    Club management thanked the Dougland Management team for their efforts and hard work in pulling out all the stops to ensure the opening day for our client went well with the club looking in absolutely pristine condition for the opening.

    A particular well done to Shaun Collins, our Scottish Contracts Manager, for his hard work and effort in the recruitment and preparation work to ensure all went well.

    Operations Director, Peter Simpson, said once again the team effort and organised approach with everyone within his team knowing what they were doing meant our client was not let down on the day and gives the confidence in allowing us take a lead role on any new venue on the estate openings, with Liverpool being the next very soon.

    Well done to all.

  • Scottish Region

    28 July 2010

    Scottish Region A word of congratulations to both Contracts Managers, Shaun Collins and Thomas Robertson, who achieved KPI results of 94.9% for their region for the second quarter of the year. This is not only fantastic for their sheer hard work and effort, but testament to their commitment and “can do” attitude to the business.

    As a reward for their efforts Dougland Support Services awarded them and their wives a night out at an exclusive restaurant in Glasgow all expenses paid for by the Company.Operations Director, Peter Simpson, says this was well earned by two very hard working managers who go the extra mile to ensure results and expectations are met and that our clients are happy.

    Well done to both managers.

  • New Minimum Wage Rate from 1 October 2010

    24 May 2010

    With effect from the 1 October 2010, the new minimum wage rates will be as follows:

    16 & 17 year olds £3.64 ph
    18 - 20 year olds
    £4.92 ph
    Over 21's
    £5.93 ph


  • Farewell Olive

    07 April 2010

    Farewell Olive On the 31st March Olive Sutton retired after 22 years working at Charter Place, Uxbridge.

    Pictured here with Area Manager, Linda Etheridge and John Rees, Site Manager, Olive was given a send off complete with flowers and chocoloates.

    Thank you Olive for all your hard work and have a lovely retirement!

  • Willing to travel....

    22 April 2010

    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

    02 April 2010

    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

    26 March 2010

    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

    12 March 2010

    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

    29 December 2009

    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...

    13 November 2009

    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

    06 November 2009

    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

    23 October 2009

    On 3 October 2009, Dougland were delighted to gain recommendation by SGS UK Ltd for the ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management Systems (EMS) certification.  Our formal certification will be available shortly.

    During our recent audit, Dougland were able to fully demonstrate our commitment to the environment in all our day-to-day operations and our compliance with environmental standards. 

    Our certification will help us to manage the environmental aspects of our business activities more effectively, while taking into consideration environmental protection, pollution prevention and socio-economic needs.

  • New Business....

    26 August 2009

    New Business.... The last six months has seen a steady flow of new business for Dougland Support Services.

    In April we won the prestigious Priory Centre in Dartford.  Dougland are responsible for the care and upkeep of the public areas, including internal and external glazing, and the back of house areas. Other aspects of our responsibility include provision of all pot plants and plants around the centre.

    June saw our success in gaining the contract to provide Cleaning and Support Services to Palace Gardens Shopping Centre in Enfield.  Additional to cleaning duties on the malls, management suite, security control room etc., we also assist the Maintenance Staff where necessary with watering of plants, re-barking of tree bases and removal of pigeon nests where necessary.

    In August we were successful in winning two contracts.  We were very proud to be chosen as cleaning contractors for The Blade in Reading.  A new building, The Blade is Reading's most significant office development for a decade.  Rising to an impressive 128m, it is Reading's tallest office building and our responsibilities include the quarterly window cleaning and abseiling of The Blade.  We also clean the common areas of the building.

    Also in August we won the three year contract to carry out cleaning related services at Kingsland Shopping Centre in Dalston, London.  A busy and well known shopping centre in East London, Kingsland Shopping Centre houses top high street shops as well as stalls within the malls, Dougland are responsible for keeping the centre in pristine condition at all times.

  • New Shopping Centre Contracts

    01 July 2009

    New Shopping Centre Contracts We are delighted to announce that the beginning of 2009 has brought us significant success in the confirmation and commencement of new contract awards around the UK.

    Vicar Lane, Chesterfield
    We are excited and proud to be awarded the cleaning contract at Vicar Lane Shopping Centre in Chesterfield and this contract started effectively and professionally on the 1st January 2009. The services we provide, includes all the day-to-day cleaning activities that a very busy, open shopping centre, large car park and tenanted areas needs. Like many of our contracts, this full service package includes all janitorial requirements and the supply of consumable requisites such as toilet rolls and feminine hygiene products etc. In addition, we were awarded the pest control contract for this site.

    Broadwalk, Bristol
    We are the chosen cleaning contractors for BroadWalk Shopping Centre in Bristol, this includes all day-to-day cleaning activities of a busy shopping centre and also involves the regular cleaning of all external car parks and includes tenant’s waste removal. In addition to the standard levels of service, we have been able to offer an all inclusive package that includes a menu of periodic cleaning and all within the main contract value. This contract was commenced March 2009.

    Eden Walk, Kingston-upon-Thames
    Once again our professionalism and innovation to our core cleaning service have brought us success in a prestigious contract at Eden Walk, Kingston-upon-Thames on the outskirts of London.  The services we provide within this challenging retail environment include daily cleaning activities, all janitorial requirements, consumables and pest control elements.

    We have additional contract commencements planned for the early part of 2009, please visit this site at regular intervals for updates on our new business wins.

  • New Look Dougland

    07 July 2009

    New Look Dougland We started 2009 with a brand new image that is more reflective of the modern, innovative approaches we bring to the cleaning industry. Launched in January, our new logo and design style has been applied across all our stationery, business cards and website, and will be rolled out across our vehicle fleet over the coming months.

    The new corporate identity keeps pace with the reality of Dougland's increasing client base, winning value offering and financial success.

  • Site Manager's Conference

    07 July 2009

    Site Manager's Conference Once again we brought together all our Site Supervisors and Site Managers from around the country to one venue, for a two day conference. This enables the individual Site Managers to meet their opposite numbers, who may work in the same environment, working alongside different shopping centres, or may be from a different industry entirely: industrial, commercial or leisure. They have the opportunity to meet the executive and management team, enjoy guest speakers, attend training modules, workshops, demonstrations of new technology, equipment and materials. All of this goes to build an exceptionally effective team building experience, where problems are shared and solved together - a key component of our continual improvement programme.

    Now in its 8th year, this unique event has a growing number of attendees including suppliers and consultants willing to be involved in nurturing, training and motivating our teams.

    As you can see from elsewhere in our website we believe people make the success of our business and we know this level of investment no matter how significant, will enhance the quality of service we bring to our clients. Our staff feel more important as a result of this event and go back to our individual clients, refreshed, with new ideas and innovations.

  • Gloria takes a well earned break...

    30 January 2008

    Gloria takes a well earned break... Gloria Hawes, Dougland's first ever employee, started with the company in 1969 on our first contract at the Job Centre in Havant, a contract we held for 28 years. Gloria was a foundation stone of the Company and has continued to be a major part of the Dougland Team since the early days.

    Gloria is now taking a well-deserved break from Dougland and on Friday 22nd May the management and staff have organised a presentation to Gloria as a massive thank you for her hard work, dedication and unswerving loyalty to Dougland over the past 40 years.

    Well done and a BIG thank you to Gloria!