We’ve had a busy couple of months updating and replacing two key pieces of machinery here at Mark Walker (Grounds Maintenance) Ltd. Our trusty tractor was the first to go. The brand new replacement will continue with sports field renovations/maintenance and boundary hedge maintenance works which is in great demand during the summer months. It will also be working hard in the winter months with gritting/snow ploughing and hedge reduction works.

Today we welcomed the arrival of our shiny new Telehandler. This fantastic little machine is tasked with many jobs in and around our yard. It’s a priority to keep our fleet of vehicles and machines current and in excellent working order to meet the demands of our busy schedules.

Another sunny day and another Residents Engagement event, this time held at Hightown’s Elmshall Place. Our Grass Hedgehogs went down a treat with the younger residents and once they had enjoyed our tasty cakes, the children turned their hands to a spot of gardening. One enthusiastic child exclaimed “this is the first time I’ve ever had a go at planting. It’s great fun!”

Ian Kazer-Roberts, one of our contacts managers, recently visited the residents of Hightown’s Jasmine Court laden with cupcakes! It was a gloriously sunny afternoon spent with the residents in the communal garden. Upon his return to the office Ian commented “it was great to hear such positive feedback regarding the grounds that our guys tend to and meet many of the residents. We even got some planting done!” Ian and his colleagues will be visiting other Hightown sites in the forthcoming weeks.

On Monday 20th May, the team at MWGM whipped up enthusiasm for a bake sale in aid of Stand Up to Cancer. Everyone enjoyed delicious home made treats of brownies, lemon drizzle cake, chocolate flap jacks, millionaires shortbread and many more. We were delighted that we baked our way to £163.27!

 

After recently completing a competitive tendering exercise, MWGM have been successful in winning a contract with Essex Partnership University Trust (EPUT). Mark Walker Grounds Maintenance has worked for the trust since 2014 building a strong relationship with site staff and members of management. We came to the end of a 5 year contract and managed to be successful with winning 2/3 lots for the new contract which starts in March 2019. The new contract is 3 x larger, and has allowed us to establish 2 more depots.

 

Client Background

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) was formed on 1 April 2017 following the merger of North Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (NEP) and South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (SEPT). EPUT provide community health, mental health and learning disability services for a population of approximately 2.5 million people throughout Bedfordshire, Essex, Suffolk and Luton. They employ more than 7,000 staff across 200 sites.

 

Everyone at Mark Walker (Grounds Maintenance) Ltd would like to wish all our Clients a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

This Christmas we have chosen again to send electronic Christmas cards to customers and suppliers and donate the money typically spent to Herts Young Homeless and Diabetes UK

Our offices will be closed from Monday the 24^th of December until Thursday the 3^rd of January 2019. During this time, calls will be monitored by an on-call manager.

Recently we were asked by one of our estate management clients to re-turf a play area on a site we maintain in Hampshire. Due to the poor quality of the soil used by the landscaper when the site was developed, the grass had died and revealed stones which posed a hazard to the local children.

MWGM sent their Landscape Projects Team to spread 4 tonnes of topsoil and lay 160 sq./m of new turf. This was all completed on budget and within the estimated time allowed. Feedback from our client and local residents has been positive and the playground is once again full of happy children.

With the cold weather looming we have recently taken delivery of 4 additional gritter units to be fitted to some of our vehicles. In addition to this we have had our first of several white salt deliveries to our main depot in Welwyn Garden City, these will then be distributed to our depots in West London, North Essex and Cambridge. Last year we spread over 300 tonnes of grit across 200 sites ranging from high secure mental health hospitals, universities, schools, NHS sites, corporate clients and many commercial offices.

Using the latest weather monitoring systems, our Operations Department schedule teams to attend sites on a vary of trigger points. All of our vehicles are tracked, and operatives record their visits on a Proof of Delivery handset, sending “real time” data to our office and clients. This provides our clients with peace of mind that their carparks and paths will be gritted and safe prior to their staff arriving for work the following morning. All the necessary risk and method statements are tailored to each site ensuring that our clients are fully protected.

Having won various new gritting contracts in Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire, these additional gritters will help extend our coverage area and provide us with flexibility.

If you would like a quote for gritting and snow clearance, then please contact our Business Development Team tenders@markwalkergm.co.uk

Earlier on this year MWGM invested in a new John Deere tractor. This new addition has the latest technology and despite having more power, is actually more efficient.

Having this tractor has made us more competitive when tendering for new contracts and has helped complete current planned maintenance tasks more economically.

 

These are some of the things that it can do:

• Grass cutting to sports fields and large grass areas with the help of our 5 meter wide cutting deck
• Sports field maintenance and renovations including, harrowing, slitting, verti-draining, fertiliser treatments and selective weed treatments
• Hedge flailing with a 6 meter reach flail
• Gritting
• Snow ploughing

After recently completing a competitive tendering exercise MWGM have been successful in winning a contract with Community Health Partnerships.

Client Background

Community Health Partnerships (formerly Partnerships for Health) is a Department of Health (DoH) owned company in the United Kingdom. Its role is to set up public-private partnerships to invest in new healthcare facilities in England via the NHS Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) programme.
The company was established in 2001 as Partnerships for Health (PfH), a joint venture between the DoH and Partnerships UK. In December 2006, the DoH acquired the full shareholding of PfH and it was renamed Community Health Partnerships in November 2007.
Its current portfolio is over 300 buildings which directly benefit the public by offering modern, well designed health care facilities. These range from NHS Foundation Trusts, GPs, Dentists, Pharmacies amongst others.

 

This new multi-site contract will help strengthen our presence in the north west London area, and we are looking forward to starting to work with CHP within the next few weeks.