Head OfficeNews Archive
Praise for John O’Conner employee behind the glorious Anglia in Bloom winning public gardens
Many local people who wander through the gardens behind the civic centre in St Albans and stop to linger there for a moment may well have seen Trevor Merryfield, the man behind St Albans Anglia in Bloom winning municipal garden, in action. Many will agree that this garden is one of St Albans’ hidden gems and is a beautiful oasis within the busy city centre.
Trevor, who this week receives his 10 Year Long Service Award, is employed on our grounds maintenance contract with St. Albans City and District Council. Trevor’s talents for design were noticed after starting work to tend and plant out the gardens, and he was soon working on design, planting and caring for the bedding schemes across the whole district. He designed the bedding schemes for winter and summer in 2010, and in 2011 when St Albans won the Anglia in Bloom award for Best Local Authority Flower Display Garden for the Civic Centre gardens. Trevor attends the Municipal Gardens at 7am most mornings to open them and to keep the gardens looking at their very best. He is now busy preparing the gardens for winter to ensure that we have glorious floral displays in early Spring.
Trevor, who was on his honeymoon when the award was announced in September this year, is part of an experienced team who care for all the key sites and flower beds across the city. All of the gardens were given recognition by the judges at this year’s Anglia in Bloom competition.
Cllr Daniel Chichester-Miles, Portfolio Holder for Environment at St Albans City and District Council said: “We can talk about what the Council does but it is the individual effort of people like Trevor who go the extra mile that makes the kind of difference noticed by the Anglia in Bloom judges.”
Paul Brady, contract manager for John O’Conner said “I am very pleased that Trevor and his team’s hard work has been recognised. I’m sure his new wife is very proud of him, as are we all.”
St Albans City and District Council entered the Anglia in Bloom Environmental Campaign Awards on behalf of the city for the first time in ten years and succeeded in scooping not one but three awards, as well as being nominated for an additional three categories. To read more and see pictures, visit the St Albans City and District website at the following link:
East Sussex County Council Contract awarded to John O’Conner
East Sussex County Council has awarded John O’Conner (Grounds Maintenance) Ltd a contract for grounds maintenance at sites throughout the County. The Company submitted a tender for the grounds maintenance contract in July and were subsequently awarded the contract having demonstrated a comprehensive service offer and value for money against strong competition from other bidders.
The contract is for the provision of grounds maintenance services to sites in and around Hastings, Hailsham, Eastbourne, Crowborough, Bexhill and Lewes including thirteen Secondary Schools and more than one hundred Primary Schools. Central to the John O’Conner offer is the provision of high levels of quality monitoring and reporting and an investment into employee training and development.
The contract will operate from an existing East Sussex County Council depot in Bexhill on Sea plus further satellite locations in Crowborough and Lewes. The Contract will be further supported from John O’Conner’s existing office and workshop facilities which are also based in Bexhill on Sea.
Jane Carter, Head of Contracts and Purchasing, ESCC Children’s Services Department said that “East Sussex are pleased to have secured such a high quality grounds maintenance contract and look forward to welcoming John O’Conner Ltd to East Sussex”
The Contract is scheduled to commence on the 30th January 2012 for a term of four years with the potential to extend for a further two years. John O’Conner are looking forward to working in partnership with the East Sussex team and are confident that improved services and value for money will encourage more schools to take advantage of the services on offer.
John O’Conner Fun Day Raises Money for Sue Ryder Neurological Centre (Stagenhoe)
John O’Conner presented a cheque to Sue Ryder in support of Stagenhoe, the charity’s Neurological Centre in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, which provides care to people with long-term, progressive neurological conditions. Most of the 44 beds are for long stay residents, but respite care is also provided, to give families much needed breaks from care giving. The funds were raised from the John O’Conner Family Fun Day, which took place in September and included clay pigeons, face painting, a fun fair, a tug of war and a raffle.
Paul Osborne, Care Centre Manager, said: “We rely heavily upon support from the local community, and the likes of John O’Conner Grounds Maintenance Limited, to provide our much needed and valued services. I wish to say a big thank you to John O’Conner for their continued support”.
Matt O’Conner said “We are delighted to continue to support Sue Ryder. This organisation provides a valuable nursing support for Hertfordshire people. Volunteers from John O’Conners have previously been involved with a garden makeover at the centre. Our support will continue next year and is at the heart of John O’Conner corporate social responsibilities.”
If you would like to support the Sue Ryder Stagenhoe Care Centre, please contact
Paul.Osborne@suerydercare.org or call 01438 871215.
