As the most successful Business Improvement District in England, Westside BID Manager, Mike Olley is constantly working towards creating a more attractive and brighter business environment within Broad Street and the surrounding areas.
One of the key areas in which Mr Olley looked to achieve a brighter environment, was to ensure the entire district, was both safer, and cleaner.
Mike Olley, Westside BID Manager.
By employing dedicated security staff to patrol the area, and by teaming up with local cleaning firm, we clean, Mike Olley is truly investing in a cleaner and safer Birmingham.
“What was originally Broad Street BID – which is now Westside – was actually a pioneer BID, in that it was one of the first in the country. We purely operate on behalf of businesses, and with an overwhelming yes vote, we are confident that we are successfully improving the area and helping the businesses we are associated with.”
Westside BID’s brighter business environment comes as a result of Mike and his team, wanting to make a difference:
“We struggled in the past to get the cleaning aspect right, and so we decided to look for a local cleaning company to take on the role. After witnessing the fantastic services, they provide within Brindleyplace it was clear that We Clean would be able to offer us the best service, after already having such an assured association with Birmingham.
“Sean Wright the Cleaning Operative from we clean delivers a fantastic service and makes a real contribution to what we’re doing here.”
Sean Wright with his ‘Dee Richards’ Pride Award.
Westside BID’s goal is to be re-elected every 5 years, and so it was essential that Sean was not only an exceptional Operative, but a polite and sociable person who would be immaculately uniformed too.
Through this collaboration, and Westside BID’s ambition to constantly improve, Broad Street continues to be some of the most vibrant and successful locations in the City.
From humble beginnings in 2003 with just one cleaning contract – Midland Autotrader – we clean embarked upon its incredible journey to establish itself as the premier provider of Contract Cleaning services in the Birmingham area.
Now 14 years on and hundreds of contracts later, we clean has experienced plenty of change and growth in its business operation but the one constant throughout the Company’s lifetime hasn’t changed and that constant is ‘Gaynor Powell’.
Blast from the past – Gaynor in 2003 at the start of her We Clean journey!
Gaynor’s relationship with Company Directors Paul, David, Steve and Tim spans some 20 years, and it was this long-term friendship, that encouraged her to join we clean and help build it from the ground up.
Gaynor remembers it fondly, commenting:
“Although we all had Industry experience, Paul and David wanted to develop something different and from the original business plans and vision they presented to me back in 2002, to what we’ve now achieved, it’s been an incredible journey”.
“I wouldn’t change a thing, and even as we’ve grown to employing over 450 people throughout the Midlands, we’ve managed to keep that family orientated feel where everybody is very close, there is a lot of respect for each other.”
A very surprised Gaynor arriving at the Hippodrome!
Originally, Gaynor’s role was Payroll & Office Manager before she began her training in Human Resources in 2009 and obtaining her formal CIPD qualifications.
As the Company HR Manager she now oversees all aspects of Employment Legislation and Employee welfare, and whilst the business continues to grow, Gaynor continues to instil the we clean ‘ethos’ into all employees and create an environment where both Cleaning Operatives and Administrative Office staff can forge meaningful careers with we clean.
For over a decade, Gaynor has been at the very heart and soul of the organisation, and so for her recent 50th birthday, Paul, David, Steve and Tim along with her friends and colleagues at we clean together with some family members and close friends decided to throw a ‘surprise party’ at the Birmingham Hippodrome.
The initial shock out of the way, Gaynor was able to enjoy the party with colleagues, friends and family!
Director, Paul Concannon was delighted that it all went so smoothly:
“Pulling off this surprise for Gaynor was really difficult, she’s so involved with everything that happens within the business that keeping it a secret was almost impossible, but we’re so happy that we managed to do it, and that she had a fantastic surprise and a great time with us all at the Birmingham Hippodrome”.
“Gaynor is such an integral part of we clean, and the business wouldn’t be where it is now without her professionalism, integrity, support and dedication, so this was a way of saying thank you, and celebrating everything she has done, and continues to do for us”.
“I must also say a massive thank you to Mike Croke, from the Birmingham Hippodrome, and Jane Cooper from Town Hall Symphony Hall who together with our Contract Manager Debbie Rhodes were fundamental in us being able to pull of this ‘big surprise’!”
Gaynor pictured with Husband, Andy and her daughter, Jess along with We Clean Directors, Paul, David, Tim and Steve.
Gaynor commented on her surprise of unknowingly walking into the room full of co-workers, along with friends and family:
“I honestly couldn’t believe it, I was so shocked to see everybody in there. I was totally overwhelmed, once I’d got over the initial shock we had a great day and evening and I was so grateful to everybody for turning up, and to everybody that worked so hard in putting it all together.”
Overall, the whole day was a huge success in bringing the we clean family together in order to pay a fantastic tribute to Gaynor, who has played such a massive part in driving the business forward, and everybody involved with we clean was so delighted for this very special person to have her moment in the spotlight!
Gaynor with Contract Manager, Debbie Rhodes who celebrated her 50th the week before!
The importance of health and safety is crucial in any workplace environment as businesses begin to place increased importance on staff welfare and facility cleanliness. The RoSPA Awards scheme – which is now in its 61st year – is open to businesses and organisations of all types and sizes from across the UK and overseas, judges consider entrants’ overarching occupational health and safety management systems, including practices such as leadership and workforce involvement.
We Clean Limited, a contract cleaning company headquartered in Birmingham have been awarded the RoSPA Gold Award.
The Birmingham based cleaning company achieved the Gold award in the prestigious annual scheme run by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accident.
The award was achieved during a special year for family-safety charity RoSPA, as it celebrates its centenary.
Duncan Thomson, we clean, Training and Health & Safety Manager said: “We are incredibly proud to pick up the RoSPA Gold Award, after winning bronze and silver, we have worked hard to consistently improve our Health and Safety and to now achieve Gold status is fantastic.
“Health and safety must be the keystone to ensuring that everyone at work and who is affected by work remains safe in their daily lives. Health and safety is not an accident.”
Julia Small, RoSPA’s head of awards and events, said: “The RoSPA Awards are the most prestigious in the world of occupational health and safety, and held in high regard, as winning one demonstrates an organisation’s commitment to maintaining an excellent health and safety record. Achieving the standard required is no mean feat.
“This is a special year in the history of RoSPA, and we congratulate all of our winners in this, our centenary year”.
Gold medals, president’s awards and orders of distinction are presented to organisations sustaining the high standards of the gold level over consecutive years. For the first time in 2017, the Patron’s Award has been presented to those organisations that have achieved consecutive gold awards for 25 years or more.
Competitive awards go to the best entries in 24 industry sectors including construction, healthcare, transport and logistics, engineering, manufacturing and education.
There are specialist awards for occupational health, environmental management and fleet safety, and excellence trophies for the best international, new entry, workforce involvement and organisation operating or based in Scotland.
Green Cleaning is not a hippy concept of the past but a reality, as well as a necessity for many individuals and businesses. We are all bombarded with news about the importance of the environment and the necessity for being more eco-friendly in our day to day actions. By the term green cleaning, it is meant the use of products that are biodegradable and therefore do not harm the environment (as well as the health of employees). Aside from the significant positive impact your business can have on the environment, what other great benefits come from green cleaning? Have a look at the list below and find out.
1 – Business Environment
Green cleaning is said to improve air quality, improving the health and happiness of employees as a result. Fresh clean air is much more likely to improve work productivity as well as the general motivation of workers.
2 – Healthier Employees
Clean air doesn’t just improve the quality of employees’ work but also their health. Respiratory issues such as asthma, allergies, irritations etc. can be massively improved with green cleaning as green products contain far less toxic properties.
3 – Money
Green cleaning is likely to save you money in the short term with reduced use of water and energy as well as the long term as carpets, furniture and floors are more likely to stay in pristine conditions with less aggressive eco-friendly products as opposed to aggressive ones.
4 – Publicity
Show your employees and your clients you care about the environment and that you do all that is needed to ensure safety and progress. It is a great way to indirectly show your worth as well as your business’s ethos.
5 – Serenity
Normal cleaning products are not required by law to list each and every ingredient on their lists, including potentially harmful ones. Green cleaning products, on the other hand, have a transparency policy, listing every ingredient used in their products. If you want peace of mind and you are scared on indirectly harm yourself and your workers make sure you switch to green.
So there you have it, the top 5 benefits of green cleaning for your office! If you are ready to boost your productivity, have a healthier and happier workforce and improve your peace of mind then green cleaning is for you. At we clean, a commercial cleaning company in Birmingham, we are committed to green cleaning, contact us for more information!
