Day 8: Ian Mountford BEM
We started the year with something truly special for one incredible member of the Unitas team.
In recognition of his voluntary work delivering meals during Covid Lockdown, Ian Mountford received a British Empire Medal in the New Years’ Honours List.
That seems worth celebrating as 2022 draws to a close!
Day 9: Helping Hands
Helping Hands is Unitas’ very own funding outlet for local charities and non-profit organisations.
Since Unitas was formed 4 years ago, Helping Hands has supported 23 projects, covering a wide variety of local initiatives including the SPACE scheme, Birches Head Get Growing, the Hub Foundation and 16th Park Hall Scouts Group.
This financial year alone, Helping Hands has given out £2000.00 in support!
Funds are open throughout the year and we look forward to giving more to our community in 2023. [link]
Day 10: Our Fourth Birthday
In February this year, we celebrated our fourth birthday. It’s gone VERY fast, but it’s an incredible four years since Unitas became a company.
Day 11: Helping Hands
We’re taking a look back at one of the projects our Helping Hands fund has helped this year.
Earlier this year, we awarded £500 from the Helping Hands fund to support a series of projects for the Birches Head Get Growing group.
They have set up a “Potter & Natter” Group to enable local residents to meet as a friendship group and try new activities and to work on a variety of gardening activities.
They also have set up a community garden, sensory garden and are growing their own fruit and vegetables within the grounds of the Bridge Centre to support the food bank.
Day 12: The Tontine Building
As part of our CSR commitment, we took on a project this year along with our colleagues and friends at Novus Property Solutions to refurbish the iconic Tontine Building (known to most Stokies as the Old Post Office) so that the amazing Tri-Services Veterans Support Centre could move in and do their vital work from a brand new, city centre location.
It was an absolute pleasure to hand the Tontine Centre back to them and Cllr. Lillian Dodd, who’s done so much to support them.
Day 13: Meir Square Roofing Project
The houses, six sets of two, were built in 1910 and have been locally listed since 2007. Our programme of works to them included roof replacements, insulation and rendering.
Because of the heritage, we had to ensure we considered the original styling and specifically ordered materials which reflected the original ones. The terracotta roof and ridge tiles were chosen to closely match the original finish.
Day 14 DIY SOS
This February, saw us helping out with the DIY SOS Big Build project in Fegg Hayes where we donated the time of our Tradespeople (who also volunteered their own time to make sure the project finished on time.)
Throughout the project, they created an amphitheatre, an accessible plant area and pathway, a kitchen for cooking lessons and an office for Sylvesters Community Trust.
We then watched as BBC’s Nick Knowles presented the area back to Sylvesters!
Day 15: Apprentice of the Year
On Day 15 of our Advent Calendar, (because we can), we shouted out about our Apprentice of the Year, Ryan Steadman!
Ryan stood out from the crowd with his commitment, work ethic and willingness to learn. Throughout his training, Ryan received some of the best praise from mentors and his college tutors that we’ve ever seen.
Ryan’s work this year, in addition to his daily tasks, included volunteering his time in the DIY SOS project, helping to support our Environmental Team as they built the vegetable garden and building planters.
Day 16: Celebrating Our Team
Today we’re celebrating two members of our team, Mark Tolley and Steve Till who’ve recently completed a complicated project with Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s ICT Team.
The project, a controlled shutdown of a data centre in order to facilitate Fire Alarm Testing, was one which was not only difficult in its basic task, but made infinitely more so due to the changes within the building over the last fifteen years. There were sub-contractors to liaise with as well as numerous teams to factor in.
Thanks to the support and expertise of Mark and Steve, who advised on numerous steps to protect the infrastructure, the project went smoothly and their support was described as “invaluable.”
We’re always thrilled to receive compliments for our team, and when this one came in we knew it was special enough to deserve its own day on our Advent Calendar.
Well done to Mark and Steve for their skill, commitment and willingness to assist throughout the last year and a half. We’re super-proud of you both!
Day 17: Gas Safety Checks
This year, we’ve completed an amazing 16,867 Gas Safety Checks for Stoke-on-Trent City Council Residents
Day 18: Fostering Friendly
We’re very proud of our status as a Fostering Friendly Employer – and we’re in very good company!
Port Vale FC, Aspire Housing and Bet365 have joined Stoke-on-Trent City Council to proudly and loudly support their staff members on a Fostering Journey – and we simply could not be more pleased to be in their company!
