Regional - Phillips 66
Transcription
Regional - Phillips 66
JET News Views People a new direction... In this issue... In Touch looks at the journey towards ‘best-in-class’ for UK & Ireland Marketing.... UKIM Reorganisation 2011 Star Awards 100 Years for Forestford Award Winners, People and Places, Out and About, and more... Issue 19 Spring / Summer 2012 Welcome Welcome... "There has been a lot of activity during the last six months. Following the reorganisation, we sadly said goodbye to some employees and wish them well for the future. All of us in UK & Ireland Marketing are looking forward to our final transition from ConocoPhillips to Phillips 66, which we will let you know all about in the next edition. I hope you enjoy reading this edition and if you have any stories you'd like included, please email me at judy.green@p66.com." Judy Green - Editor Regional Sales Focus Growth Support Service National UKIM intouch 2 The Marketing Leadership Team explain the rationale behind a new route to market ...driven by an evol To enable us to compete and continue to be successful in what is a rapidly changing and evolving market, we must always be mindful of how we can excel in every aspect of what we do and how we do it. All businesses, large or small, must continually be able to identify changes and developments in what they do and develop their business model accordingly. We are no different. As such, over the last year we have undergone a strategic analysis of our market. It very quickly became clear to us that the world we trade and compete in has already changed quite remarkably from just a few years ago and we are already seeing these changes impact our business. Our current reputation is a good one; our business is working perfectly well so it would be easy to let the changes happen that we see evolving and adapt to them in the future. However, we believe for us to thrive we need to stay ahead of the game and make changes that position us at the forefront of the industry, now and for tomorrow. How is the market changing? Competition for customers business is intensifying as new entrants make their way into the UK market and we are seeing ‘polarisation’ whereby larger businesses expand and smaller businesses consolidate and focus regionally. The old split of ‘wholesale’, bulk players and ‘retail’ or ‘dealer’ based organisations has diminished over time and we need to mirror how our customers now work. Many of our customers have ‘national’ aspirations with multiple segment product offerings. Other customers find business growth within a ‘region’, concentrating on offering a tailored service to their customers. Our core offering To remain ‘the supplier of choice’ we must change. We like to be known for being easy to do business with, delivering on our commitments, our professionalism and our customer focus. We think our UK & Ireland Marketing (UKIM) business has a unique opportunity to build on these behaviours by redefining our approach to how we work in the future. We are about sales and delivering sales excellence every day, but we need to take this core offering to a new level. We must seek out business opportunities and find solutions to problems. This can only be achieved by collaborative effort, teamwork, learning from others, adopting best practices with, most importantly, a ‘can do attitude’. Our new organisation must live and breathe this ethos of positivity and aim to always exceed our customers’ expectations. Our new route… A key theme to our journey is one of focus. As individuals, we need to focus on less, but do it better; depth rather than breadth. We also need to rise to the challenge of this new chapter, developing ‘knowhow’ and contributing to our on-going business development. To Cover Story emulate our customer profile, our current sales channels will change into one ‘national’ sales team and one ‘regional’ sales team. We will have one team of ‘territory managers’ structured to match our customer base. Thanks to enhanced back office support, they will have more ‘face time’ with customers. Removing some of the administrative burden from our sales force is a win-win situation as a dedicated support service can only strengthen and enhance the links into our customers’ organisations and at the same time allow our sales force to develop and expand their client relationships. We will also introduce a sales development resource to focus entirely on new business opportunities. Using the recently introduced DTN Tabs, a supply and demand management software solution, we can seamlessly integrate sales and supply teams. Our business improvement and financial teams will merge into one function, providing analytical support to aid our continuous improvement efforts. Order taking and delivery scheduling In order to streamline our organisation and focus on becoming a world leading sales and marketing business, we have decided to outsource the order taking and scheduling operation to EWA bespoke communications, part of the WPP Group. Our existing ‘Jet’ team in UKIM has an excellent reputation and it was a difficult decision to decide to outsource this function. Whilst this is a bold move, we think it’s the right one and it will enable us to service the delivered function with a proven communications partner. Choosing our order taking and supply partner and having consultations with experienced ConocoPhillips staff, EWA, our transport contractors and our Jet Dealer and Distributor Councils, enabled us to embark on a comprehensive training plan to maintain customer service levels through the transition. In conclusion, we are convinced that the changes we have will position us for the challenges ahead, make us a stronger and more focused organisation and will ensure continued success for our business in the future. The ‘Jet’ EWA team, L to R: Jade Rivers, Kim Perkins, Anita Aukett, Kezia Thompson, Ellie Dobson, Adam Franklin, Ivana Arthey, Roxanne Wilsenham, Vickki Green intouch lving marketplace 3 “ The National Cover story Lindsey Grant, Manager, National Sales, looks forward to the challenges and opportunities ahead: "Our National Sales team looks after those UK resellers and dealers who have a national presence, supermarkets and Ireland. In addition, our specialty fuels businesses - Marine, Aviation and LPG are part of our National Sales group. ” ...our journey tow route to market... intouch 4 National Sales The new roles within the team will really give us an edge. Our Sales Development Manager is 100% focused on working with customers on mutual opportunities, our Demand Manager is ensuring that product is available where and when our customers want it and our customer facing Account Coordinator team strengthens our relationships. We've designed the new organisation with our customers in mind and a key goal for 2012 will be delivering on that promise. We're looking forward to the year ahead." The National Sales team National Richard Plows Ken Johnson Paul Barrington Sales Development Manager Demand Manager Business Development Manager Ireland Julie Henderson Kris Hudson Naomi Donoghue Speciality Products Manager Marine Account Manager Marine Account Manager Aviation & LPG Sales Manager Key Accounts Sales Manager Paul Wright wards best in class Geoff Henderson Sam Payne Annelise Burgoine Danielle Nicholls Tom Eastham National & Group Sales Account Manager National & Group Sales Account Manager National Customer Accounts Manager Contracts Coordinator National Customer Accounts Coordinator Lisa Hart Naina Patel Jaimi Paton Debbie Ross Chris Murphy National Customer Accounts Coordinator National Customer Accounts Coordinator National Customer Accounts Coordinator National Customer Accounts National Customer Accounts Coordinator Coordinator intouch Emma McKim 5 “ Cover story Regional The Regional Sales Channel offers us great opportunities Regional Sales Headed by Guy Pulham, the Regional Sales team will look after the needs of customers operating mainly independent businesses from local or regional sites. This encompasses a large proportion of the Jet forecourts up and down the country, Jet branded distributors as well as other fuel resellers. intouch ” ...steering stron 6 Paul Carey Bruce Mackie Guy said: "The regional marketplace offers a great opportunity for growth. I am confident we can offer exceptional levels of customer service from our experienced team of local and area focused Territory Managers, supported by a team of dedicated Customer Account Coordinators and a support team on Brand, Transport and Pricing issues." Alasdair Moores Wayne Oakes Dave Short Sales Territory Manager South Sales Territory Manager Scotland Sales Territory Manager Bramhall & Immingham West Sales Territory Manager Kingsbury Sales Territory Manager South Carl Smaller Paul Yates Stuart Cufflin Anne Day Jo Barlow Sales Territory Manager Immingham North & East Sales Territory Manager Scotland Transport Contracts Manager Brand & Services Manager Brand & Communications Coordinator Janet Messenger Sharon Morrow Sarah Pollard Lorraine Briggs Kirstin Nachenius Brand & Communications Coordinator Brand & Communications Coordinator Regional Customer Accounts Manager Regional Customer Accounts Coordinator Regional Customer Accounts Coordinator Matthew Pougher Alex Blower Simon Bartholomew Adam J Russell Regional Customer Accounts Coordinator Regional Customer Accounts Coordinator Retail Pricing Analyst Transport Contracts Coordinator intouch g Regional sales 7 Star Awards ‘Sea’our Stars... intouch The 2011 European Marketing Star Awards were recently held at Hamburg’s Zoo and Aquarium 8 The European Marketing Star Awards Dinner is an annual event to honour, recognise and reward our Marketing employees and teams who have exemplified outstanding performance and made a significant impact to the European Marketing business over the past year. In March this year, representatives from the winning teams and individuals were invited to an awards dinner in Hamburg which was preceded by either a bus tour round Hamburg or a walk through the Hamburg Hagenbeck’s Zoo. The dinner was held in a private dining room at the Zoo and pre-dinner drinks were in the Aquarium. The awards were presented by Barry Quinn, General Manager, European Marketing and Stefan Wulkan, Manager, UK & Ireland Marketing, together with Andy Viens, President, Global Marketing, who also attended the dinner and congratulated the winners on the night. The awards were split into various categories, the first being: People and Safety This category honours those who significantly: • Developed people and encouraged employee growth • Utilised strong teamwork and collaboration efforts in project work • Championed safe practices and a zero accident workplace Continental Business Unit (CBU) HSE Teamwork team Winning Team: Marion Oehlmann, Claudia Kwiesdorf, Andrea Brinkmann, Wiebke Busch, Christian Zingler, Thomas Kuska Award for managing the CBU to an excellent HSE audit. Pictured (left to right) are: Christian Zingler, Wiebke Busch, Claudia Kwiesdorf, Andrea Brinkmann, Marion Oehlmann and Andy Viens. UK & Ireland Marketing (UKIM) Safety Performance Winning Team: Russell Best, Stuart Cufflin, Geoff Henderson, Paul Turner, Sara Runciman, Judy Green, Chee Thoo Award for an outstanding, sustained improvement in HSE performance Pictured (left to right) are: Paul Turner, Geoff Henderson, Sara Runciman, Stuart Cufflin, Russell Best and Andy Viens. Operational Superiority This category was designed to honour teams, projects, or efforts which: • Demonstrated excellence in process execution or improvement • Demonstrated excellence in project development • Resulted in system improvement, system development or implementation of system controls • Developed and executed new systems or processes in response to a changing market environment • The winners we have selected in this category truly fulfilled those parameters and made a significant impact on the business. Overcoming Supply Sanctions Winning Team: Jörg Degener, Doreen Hülscher, René Bildt Award for replacing Libyan supply volumes and managing significant disruption. Pictured in the photo (left to right) are: Andy Viens, Doreen Huelscher, René Bild and Barry Quinn. intouch Wilhelmshaven Refinery (WRG) Sale Restructuring Winning Team: Tore Sternberg, Sabine Söhrich, Alexander Kraus, Thomas Kahl, Carsten Eggert Award for restructuring the German group as a result of the sale of WRG. 9 Pictured (left to right) are: Carsten Eggert, Thomas Kahl, Tore Sternberg, Alexander Kraus and Andy Viens.. UKIM Credit Function Success in Recession Winning Team: Russ Thomas, Tony Chittock, Stuart Braidley, Simon Holmes, Lisa Hart Award or proactively managing credit risks and protecting COP through a significant economic recession. Pictured (left to right) are: Andy Viens, Tony Chittock, Lisa Hart, Simon Holmes, Russ Thomas and Stefan Wulkan. Picured (left) Andy Viens and (below) Barry Quinn congratulating everyone for their outstanding efforts during 2011. Star Awards Customer Preferred As a sales and marketing organisation, this category is especially significant to us and honours work which: • Led to substantial improvement in any area of customer interaction • Led to value-adding customer-centric processes • Resulted in superior performance in customer valued areas above competition Jet Cult Brand Winning Team: Nikolai Lassen, Marion Oehlmann, Dorian Born, Carsten Reichelt, Bettina von Schubert UKIM JetCard Sale Winning Team: Ken Johnson, David Grimshaw Award for the successful sale of the JetCard customer database with the potential to increase sales. Award for creating a ‘cult’ fuel which is the most valued by German motorists in independent market surveys. Pictured (left to right) are: Carsten Reichelt, Bettina von Schubert, Marion Oehlmann, Dorian Born, Nikolai Lassen and Andy Viens. Pictured (left to right) are: Barry Quinn, Andy Viens, Ken Johnson and Stefan Wulkan. intouch 10 ARCS Austria project Step Change in IT Customer Service in Germany Winning Team: Gerhard Entholzer Winning Team: Claudia Kwiesdorf, Chris Brown, Sven Wunderlich, Herbert J. Cross, Steven Waegenaer, Andreas Kloock Award for replacing the outdated high maintenance Point of Sale system in Austria. Award for reducing system disruption by 85% and improving customer satisfaction rate by 37%. MiRO Coke Upgrade team Pictured (left to right) are: Andreas Kloock, Andy Viens, Claudia Kwiesdorf, Chris Brown and Steven Waegenaer. Winning Team: Katrin Deiters, Detlef Glaser, Clive Webber, Peter Tataryn, Tim Goldby Award for recognising and implementing the opportunity of taking MiRO coke to Humber for blending to higher value. Pictured (left to right) are: Detlef Glaser, Peter Tataryn, Katrin Deiters, Clive Webber, Tim Goldby and Andy Viens. ✁ Regional Round-up Marketing Excellence This category was established to highlight projects or undertakings that: • Added to the brand value of any of Marketing’s brands or products • Drove volume growth through improving Marketing’s brand value proposition Defence against unmanned in Austria Winning Team: Hannes Wartbichler, German Bell, Martina Maislinger, Eva Rohrmoser Award for successfully defending our market position against new unmanned competitors. Pictured (left to right) are: Hannes Wartbichler, Andy Viens, Martina Maislinger, German Bell and Stefan Wulkan regional Snippets See us on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/Jetlocal Individual Awards In addition to our team awards, two categories are designed to honour individuals who significantly impacted the business or community. Three individuals were recognised: Frank Hermens for negotiating new lease agreements on the Autobahn sites in Germany. Philipp Simons for his work in the community with young people in Germany. Neil Plaskitt who has been the driving force behind UK & Ireland Marketing’s charity work in recent years. Pictured (left to right) are: Barry Quinn, Frank Hermens, Philipp Simons, Neil Plaskitt and Andy Viens. intouch Why not take a look at our YouTube pages next time you are online? We have extended our series of news articles to keep you up-to-date with anything and everything 'Jet'. Some of the many topics covered are award winning Jet sites, tyre pressure checks, oil checks, how to fuel your vehicle, how to effectively clean your car during a hosepipe ban, as well as details of Jet's latest promotions. Ongoing expansion of this informative, useful, user friendly media is planned as part of Jet's PR campaigns. 11 ✁ Regional Round-up regional pets Snip Jet Wedding Customer focus and customer satisfaction is an integral part of Jet’s community spiritedness and as such, when a somewhat ‘off the wall’ request was received by Janet Messenger, Jet’s Marketing Communications coordinator, the Marketing Team at ConocoPhillips Ltd sprang into action… intouch 12 Jet customer, Ken Turrell, contacted Janet with his tale… His daughter Georgette, who the family always called ‘Jet’, filled her VW Golf Diesel with unleaded one Friday at her local Jet Station en route to her Hen night. The tank had to be drained and she was, to say the least, very upset. Jet is a teacher at Kings Hill School, Kent. Ken wanted to make a joke of her mishap at her wedding and asked Janet if ConocoPhillips Ltd could help by creating something he could present her with including her name ‘Jet’ with a diesel / petrol link. A little ‘ditty’was scribed by the ‘creative types’and the poem was duly presented to Jet by her father at her wedding reception last November. The poem read… To ‘Jet’, from Jet... There once was a teacher called Jet, or Georgette whose hen night hadn’t started...quite yet, Jet popped into her local to top up with ‘juice’ Heaven forbid, the wrong pump she let loose, Her golf, lettered ‘D’, no!... she filled it with ‘P’ unleaded drained out, left Jet without glee! Now mishaps can happen, we don’t want to be cruel But to a ‘clever’ teacher, at Kent’s Kings Hill School? Our tale endeth here, on her wedding day, Green or black? get it right next time...we all say! The mag it back One of the most popular retail promotions over the past few years offered Jet customers ‘2 for 1’entry vouchers into some of Merlin’s top UK attractions. Customers and Jet’s dealers alike welcomed the news that the promotion would be repeated again this spring. Back by popular demand and with a great desire from both Jet and Merlin Entertainments Group to ‘do it all again’, this six week promotion sees Jet once again team up with one of the most exciting leisure companies in the world. Merlin’s visitor attractions are dynamic, ever evolving and fun. Memorable experiences, visitor satisfaction and the highest levels of both customer service and Health & Safety standards, put them at the forefront of the leisure industry and Jet is proud to partner them. The offer remains a very simple one – every time you spend £20 or more on fuel at any participating Jet service station, customers are eligible to receive four ‘2 for 1’ entry vouchers to some of the most popular family days out in the UK. The attractions are household names in terms of great family days out and the geographical spread of Merlin’s many theme parks perfectly matches the Jet UK service station network. The offer also embraces Jet’s local community focus as the promotion is both an exciting way to spend your leisure time and accessible to many of Jet’s customers, their families and friends. The vouchers are valid at most of the attractions until the end of the year. So, all boxes ticked, what magical attractions await Jet’s customers this summer?... LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort Madame Tussauds London & Blackpool With 14 zones, over 300 wax figures and the amazing Marvel Super Heroes 4D movie experience, Madame Tussauds London combines glitz and glamour with incredible history. So, who do you want to meet? Or, Step into the glitzy world of celebrity at Madame Tussauds Blackpool as you rub shoulders with the stars. Alton Towers Resort Two brand new attractions have launched for the 2012 season. Adding to its existing portfolio of over 50 rides and attractions, Ice Age The 4-D Experience and Nemesis Sub-Terra will open along with two new Ice Age themed suites in the Splash Landings Hotel. Chessington World of Adventures Resort Explore Chessington World of Adventures Resort, a wild adventure for all the family.With nine themed lands, over 1000 amazing animals, a SEA LIFE centre and a safari-themed hotel, Chessington really is Britain’s Wildest Adventure with too much to explore in just one day. The Blackpool Tower Eight amazing attractions in one amazing trip!...Feel on top of the world in the Blackpool Tower ‘eye’ as you see for miles around in this sensational new viewing experience. Experience the Blackpool Tower Dungeon, Circus, Ballroom and Jungle Jim’s Children’s indoor adventure, and much more besides... there’s truly something for everyone! New for 2012, brave a death-defying flight for your life through apocalyptic devastation on Europe’s tallest winged rollercoaster, THE SWARM. Experience the unique head first, inverted drop from 127ft on the UK’s first winged rollercoaster before you relentlessly rip through the sky on its mission of complete annihilation. Warwick Castle Imagine a totally electrifying, full day out at Britain's Ultimate Castle! Where you can immerse yourself in a thousand years of jawdropping history - come rain or shine. Where ancient myths and spell-binding tales will set your imagination alight and your hair on end. Where princesses are pampered and maidens are wooed! Experience the heat of battle at such close quarters you'll almost smell the fear, as winners become true heroes and losers are confined to dark, dank dungeons to be forgotten for eternity. It could only be Warwick Castle. SEA LIFE centres & Sanctuaries Fancy diving beneath the sea without getting wet? You'll come eyeball to eyeball with everything from shrimps to sharks, and learn tons of great stuff from SEA LIFE experts. So go on, take the plunge and visit your nearest SEA LIFE centre soon! The Dungeons Delve into Britain’s bloodiest history at the Dungeons in London,York, Edinburgh and Blackpool. Experience live actors, interactive shows and exciting special effects as you find yourself hurled into Britain’s most terrible times . . . are you brave enough to face Britain’s darkest past? LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Step inside LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre in Manchester and it's like you have just jumped into the biggest box of LEGO® bricks ever! Join the battle on Kingdom Quest - an interactive LEGO laser ride, feel a part of the story in the 4D cinema, learn top LEGO building secrets from the Master Model Builder, see iconic landmarks in MINILAND, make a celebration even more memorable in one of our special party rooms; and much more....... It's the ultimate place for all LEGO fans – young and old! 13 Star Wars and all characters, names and related indicia are © 2012 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All rights reserved. LEGO®, the LEGO logo, the Brick configuration, the Minifigure and LEGOLAND are trademarks of the LEGO® Group © 2012 The LEGO Group. You make it come alive.... LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort offers families the opportunity to let their imaginations run free in the wonderful world of LEGO with over 55 interactive rides and attractions. From March enjoy the UK’s only LEGO® Star Wars™ Miniland Experience recreating seven of the most famous scenes from the Star Wars saga including a scene from the animated series: Star Wars: The Clone Wars, using around 1.5 million LEGO® bricks. THORPE PARK intouch ic of Merlin makes to Jet forecourts Regional Round-up The ‘cream’ of Jet’s Retail network rose to the top as Duns Service Station collected the coveted ‘Aim4Success’ Overall National Winner award at an awards dinner near Stratford-uponAvon recently. The evening was attended by representatives from five Regional winning dealers and the individual Sales Assistant of the Year winner, together with members of the Jet Dealer Council and Jet Retail staff at the Ettington Park Hotel, nestled in the beautiful Warwickshire Countryside. Stefan Wulkan and Pa trick Hudson presen ting to John Campbell and Vanessa Braithwaite from Intake 6 Aim4Success winners... intouch 14 The five regional winners were Lawfords Service Station from Essex, Jempsons Service Station from East Sussex, Cotgrave Service Station from Nottinghamshire, Intake 6 Service Station from South Yorkshire and Duns Service Station from the Scottish Borders, who after much deliberation from the Jet judging panel, were chosen as overall National Winners in a hotly fought battle. Lawford Service Station also received a ‘highly commended’ award for its outstanding achievements. commitment to delivering incredibly high standards”, said Stefan Wulkan, Manager, UK & Ireland Marketing, in his welcome speech as he commenced the evening’s proceedings. He continued: “I know that for all of you Customer Service is of paramount importance. Delivering excellence in all you do and your attention to detail sets you apart from the crowd and allows you to rise to the top of your profession; we are privileged to have you as part of the Jet Dealer Network.” Everyone’s a w The Jet X-factor!... The awards were presented by Patrick Hudson, Manager, Retail and Geoff Patching, Sales Manager, Retail, who in his many site visits has seen ‘first-hand’ the ‘Jet X-factor’, as he calls it, exuded by all the night’s attendees. Geoff said: “Whilst the pursuance of excellence comes from the owner or manager, it’s the ethos they instil in their staff that truly makes a difference; whether it’s a simple smile, a pleasant greeting or just some good old banter with customers, it’s that which turns an occasional customer into a regular one.” Lee Whiteman from Cotgrave Service Station The Aim4Success Standards and Service programme recognises Jet dealers’ exceptional commitment to the very highest standards and service on Jet forecourts, with this year’s awards focusing on safety, customer service and a range of local, community based activities. “Excellent standards and service are vital to guarantee a satisfying customer experience and to keep ahead of the competition. All five of our regional winners are a real credit to the Jet brand and we’re delighted to be able to recognise and reward their Stephen Jempson and Andrew Jempson from Jempsons Service Station People have a choice where they fill up but by getting the basics right and adding that little ‘something else’, the personal touch, that’s why people choose to fill up at Jet.” winner! What’s to ‘Aim for’ in 2012... After the phenomenal success of the 2011 Aim4Success programme, we are pleased to launch this year’s programme, aiming to take Standards and Service to a new level. Duns scoop the top prize The 2012 programme will feature a new element - Mystery Motorist visits. Throughout the year, each site will receive FOUR visits, each one assessing the forecourt environment, shop environment and till service. When all was said and done one Regional Winner stood out as the cream of the crop... Duns Service Station from the Scottish Borders. Gillian Wilson (pictured below) was delighted to receive the Aim4Success National winner prize and is pictured below receiving the award from Stefan Wulkan and Patrick Hudson. A detailed document will be published to all sites showing the exact criteria for marking. This will provide the necessary guidance to ensure sites attain full marks at each visit and maintain high levels of service at all times. The other element that will affect the scoring will be the biennial Suresite score. As in previous years, a RED audit will result in a deduction of the overall scoring. Brand Assessments will still be carried out once a year by either Territory Managers or Account Coordinators. These assessments will be scored but will not count towards the overall Aim4Success score. They will, however, be used in the judging for the Regional and National winners so that’s another reason to ensure standards and service and HSE are up to scratch! Each site will be able to see how they are doing based on an overall network scoring system showing their individual ranking following each Mystery Motorist visit. There are incentives for climbing up the rankings as well as the chance to attend next year’s Prize Awards Dinner and the opportunity to win the coveted title of National Winner. intouch Harriet Cookson and Josephine Cookson from Lawfords Service Station (pictured above) who received their Regional Winners award and a special ‘Highly Commended’ award for their outstanding efforts in 2011. 15 trai ning standards & service Regional Round-up pr safety pr 2011 intouch 16 Most ‘Val’uable Here is a tale of amazing commitment and dedication that sets this lady apart from the competition in winning the inaugural award of National Sales Assistant of the Year. Val Taylor of Crosspool Service Station in Sheffield, who is 72 years young, picked up the prize at the Aim4Success awards dinner for dedication to her job and customers and the pride she takes in everything she does. “I get up at 4.00am, I’m here for between 5.30am and 5.45am and I work until 2.30pm five days a week Monday to Friday. The customer always comes first in my job and being friendly and polite costs nothing. I love the job. There are some nice people here and there’s a good rapport between the customers and the staff. It was very rewarding to be recognised after working in the forecourt industry for nearly 20 years”,said Val. Jet Regional Sales Manager, Guy Pulham, said:“In launching this award we wanted to recognise the best of ‘our people’. Nominees came from dealers and territory managers and Val stood out as she always goes above and beyond the call of duty. Val sets a great example by doing such a good job and we’re extremely pleased to have her in the network.” Stella Lucas, Manager at Crosspool Service Station, who also attended the awards ceremony, said: “Val is an absolute pleasure to work with. She has the patience of a saint and nothing is too much trouble when it comes to helping our customers. She contacts the local garage if customers have car problems and offers helpful directions if anyone is lost. Val takes the greatest pride in her work by arriving early and keeping the forecourt clean, plus she is always dressed immaculately.” With two daughters, four grandchildren and four great grandchildren, she could be excused taking things a little easier. Val is having none of it, saying:“I haven’t got time to retire!” The Regional winners were Brian Smith from MRH Shepshed in East Anglia and Julie Williams and Maggie Hunt from Lower Kilburn Garage who shared the award for the Midlands Region. Val, pictured receiving her award from Stefan Wulkan and Patrick Hudson Broadland Motor Co. Ltd of Wroxham, in the beautiful Norfolk Broads, is the latest edition to Roys of Wroxham’s portfolio of local retailing businesses centred on serving their local community. Founded in 1895, to serve both the needs of the locals and visiting boating fraternity in the Broadlands, the last eight decades have seen the further development and diversification of the Roys of Wroxham brand. It now includes a 30,000 square foot department store, a 30,000 square foot food hall, a large garden centre, DIY store, toy shop, fashion and Children’s World outlets, as well as six variety stores stocking a mixture of all of the above within Suffolk and Norfolk. So when Broadland Motor Co. Ltd came up for sale last summer there was no hesitation for Ed Roy, Managing Director, in wanting to add forecourt retailing to further the scope of their operations. Chris Green, Roys of Wroxham’s General Store Manager, takes up the story: “Roys is an established and well respected name in Wroxham with a strong ethos of offering excellent value and high levels of service to our local community. The chance to take on and develop the site, which is ideally geographically positioned, was an opportunity not to be missed. “Ironically, our head office and many of our outlets are actually positioned ‘over the Wroxham bridge’ in neighbouring Hoveton, so it’s nice to have a Roys of Wroxham actually located in Wroxham! “My colleague, Paul Winn, Roys Buying Manager, was tasked with choosing a fuel brand to partner us in this new venture. The chance to team up with the Jet brand, who very much share our mindset of local, friendly and great value, was another opportunity not to be missed and the obvious choice for us. “There were a host of reasons why we chose Jet and the ‘deal’ was easily struck. The overriding factors of quality, service and a competitive pricing structure, coupled with a strong brand image, meant the two brands partner each other perfectly. We are delighted with our clean, bright and distinctive new livery and since we started trading earlier this year, we find Jet easy to do business with and business is definitely booming. “What is equally important to us at Roys is the fact that the locals have embraced our new venture and we have received quite a few letters saying it is great to have a bright new local site. We have extended the forecourt shop by a third and all of our retail goods are very competitively priced. Some people like to just pop in for a daily newspaper and a chat. Customer feedback says it’s a convenient place to fill up with fuel and essential day-to-day goods and it is a focal point for the community, which is fine by us because that’s what we are all about.” intouch Broadening Roys Horizons 17 Regional Round-up The 100 Year History of Petrol Sales at North Terrace Garage, Mildenhall Alister McFarquhar, the owner and Managing Director of Forestford at North Terrace Garage, Mildenhall, looks back at 'the first 100 Years of petrol sales' at his Suffolk site, although he did tell In Touch his memory is a little vague in remembering the early years! He also gives us an insight into how his site operates today and looks to the future to see how the forecourt of the future may need to evolve to continue to trade for the next 100 years. The founder of North Terrace Garage, Charley Toombs, first set up shop in Mildenhall at the end of the 19th century as a hairdresser and cycle agent. By 1905 he was catering for the growing demand from early motorists for repairs at North Terrace. Presumably business was good because in 1907 he had a new garage built for his growing enterprise to work from and in 1912, exactly 100 years ago, the first reference is made in his advertising to selling petrol. intouch 18 The business remained in the Toombs family until 1991, when it was sold to the Ponford family. The Ponfords were another local business with a long established garage trade history and they introduced the Jet brand to the site. When the Ponfords retired in 2001, the business was sold to local motor repair business, Forestford. earn you the trust of local customers which is so important to running a successful local business. Customers are driven by either convenience, service or value, or a combination of these factors, so this is what we must deliver. A clean tidy site, trusted payment security and good old fashioned friendliness encourage the repeat visits which matter so much when passing trade is limited. We have an excellent team here and their dedication to caring for customers has embedded our business in the local community and won us many awards for good service over the past 11 years. “If anything is going to get a business through tough periods of trading it will be by providing a good customer experience, in its many guises. The way Jet and its brand values emulate our philosophy means we work harmoniously. I feel I have access to a wide range of support services from many members of their staff, right up to all levels of management, thanks to their open door policy. “So we feel we have the right brand and the right attitude to service, but all of that matters little if the business model isn't correct. The big change in petrol forecourts over the last 100 years has been the Yesterday, today,to Alister McFarquhar felt that representing the Jet brand of fuel was like coming full circle for him. He said:“Twenty-five years before I bought North Terrace Garage, one of my first jobs, as a very young man, was as a petrol pump attendant at a Jet site on the A11; I recall it was the Queen’s Silver Jubilee year, 1977. It was always very enjoyable working there and its busy location just south of Newmarket meant you never knew who was about to stop for fuel. I remember one day John Le Mesurier and Clive Dunn, the characters Sergeant Wilson and Corporal Jones of 'Dad's Army', pulled up to a pump on their way back from filming in nearby Thetford Forest. Although it was many years ago, I remember having had a good experience selling Jet fuel. So, when it came to choosing a fuel brand to partner and work with, Jet seemed the perfect fit.I asked for advice from other Jet dealers before I took the decision to relocate Forestford to North Terrace. Those dealers were all very pleased to work with Jet and many years on I am no exception. "In a semi rural setting like ours, the local 'garage' is invariably an integral part of the make up of the local community. To flourish it must offer warmth and friendliness with a great customer experience every visit. High levels of service, coupled with good value and convenience, introduction of convenience retailing.There is no such thing as a petrol station any more! The last century has seen the products on offer develop from motor spares, to tobacco and then confectionery. Then came along the forecourt shop adding a completely new dimension to the ability for 'old fashioned' petrol stations to survive by embracing change and becoming multi-faceted retailers. “Our business started life supplying fuel a century ago and was always very much a traditional business, coupling petrol with motor repairs. Our success can almost certainly be put down to the fact we have stayed a mixed use site over the years. Today, we still offer motor repairs, servicing and MOT testing, used car sales, car valeting with our roll-over car wash and jet wash and, of course, a forecourt shop. All of these elements contribute to our 'overheads' with the multiple income streams being especially valuable in tight economic times. I think that certain sites that have given up activities which generate an income in addition to their shop may struggle in the future. “The other key element to the longevity of a business, big or small, is the benefits brought by regular and detailed financial planning. Focusing on FEEP Financial omorrow... “Timely reviews of business outcomes against forecasts give management the ability to be analytical about profitability and cash flow and to respond to ever evolving trends in demand. It may be stating the obvious, but unless both upstream producers and downstream distributors can make a reasonable profit in our competitive marketplace then survival in terms of the ability to reinvest in their businesses will prove difficult. Capital expenditure is likely to diminish over time if margins continue to erode. For parts of our industry lack of cash generation for ongoing investment in updating and renewing facilities will cause serious problems in time.” When we asked Alister if there would be a Jet garage at North Terrace in another 100 years he replied: “So far our society has evolved around personal motorised transport. We use it to access health services, education, employment and recreation, particularly in rural areas.My guess is that there will be a continuous improvement in the fuel consumption and emissions of the internal combustion engines that power cars.Unless there is a huge leap forward in alternative fuel technologies, demand will remain for petrol and diesel fuels for a long while to come.” We look at UK & Ireland Marketing Finance Team’s ambitious efficiency drive UKIM Finance is fully focused on FEEP for the foreseeable future to help drive a culture of continuous improvement and excellence. Further to the ConocoPhillips Ltd Finance Team leaders meeting late in 2009 to identify issues to target for improvement, 2010 saw over 40 projects to be worked upon, with zero defects being the aim. FEEP enables process efficiency through teamwork, individual effort and the innovative use of Business Improvement (BI) tools and techniques. The aim throughout the year was to respond more quickly and efficiently to the needs and expectations of the organisation and reduce costs through efficient processes and faster cycle times. Some of the many projects included credit note issuance efficiencies, month-end critique analysis and improvements, segregation of duties to avoid role conflicts and returned direct debit process improvements. Key to all of the projects was the overriding driver of customer-centric activity to ensure the benefits and improvements to the finance function were also appropriate to the needs of our customers. The BI group within the business teamed up with Finance to help facilitate the necessary improvements. The issues were prioritised and, where possible, linked. A schedule was set to ensure projects could be worked on without compromising the regular commitments of the Finance Group. When individual projects are completed they are subject to an audit to ensure the improvements are sustained. The review has realised many process capability improvements and time efficiencies worth a substantial amount to the company and, most importantly, it has widened the diversity of thinking within the Finance function at ConocoPhillips Ltd. intouch FEEP? Finance Effectiveness and Efficiency Programme ...of course! Focus 19 Award winners Health & Safety Success in the RoSPA Awards 2012 Our approach to the prevention of accidents and ill health was recognised in the RoSPA Occupational Health and Safety Awards 2012. intouch 20 The Occupational Health & Safety Silver award and MORR (Management of Occupational Road Risk) Gold award, were presented to Russell Best, HSE Advisor, UK & Ireland Marketing, at a ceremony at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel on Tuesday 15th May 2012. Dating back to 1956, the RoSPA Occupational Health and Safety Awards scheme is the largest and longest-running programme of its kind in the UK. It recognises commitment to accident and ill health prevention and is open to businesses and organisations of all types and sizes from across the UK and overseas. The scheme does not just look at accident records, but also entrants’ overarching health and safety management systems, including important practices such as strong leadership and workforce involvement. The MORR award took account of our internal driver safety programmes, transport contractor management and our Jet community road safety initiatives championed by Janet Messenger, Brand & Communications Coordinator. David Rawlins, awards manager at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), a safety charity with a 95year history, said: “The RoSPA Awards programme provides well-deserved recognition for the winners and spurs on other organisations to raise their standards of accident and ill health prevention. “We congratulate ConocoPhillips Ltd/Jet on its success and encourage them, and all our other winners, to remain committed to safety and health, an approach that is well recognised to be good for workers and the bottom line.” Pictured are Russell Best and Janet Messenger. Congratulations to Dean Farrell who gained certification as a Six Sigma Master Black Belt (MBB) in December 2011. Master Dean has worked in the Business Improvement group in Warwick in the role of Black Belt since 2006, working on a wide variety of projects across the whole of UKIM. These projects have ranged from improving the process for dealing with Bramhall slops with a saving of around £300K as a first project, to the Finance Effectiveness and Efficiency Programme during 2010, when some 40 separate issues were worked in project teams. Black Belt Accreditation Dean undertook his MBB training at an external training provider, Smallpeice Enterprises in Leamington Spa in October 2009 and has, over the past two years, worked to meet the accreditation criteria outlined above. Dean had to submit evidence of meeting the required criteria to both David Hoy, MBB for UK & Ireland Marketing and Steve Wilson, MBB at Smallpeice, to ensure all aspects had been met. After reviewing the submission, both David and Steve agreed that Dean had fully met the required standard and awarded certification as both a ConocoPhillips Ltd and Smallpeice Master Black Belt. Pictured are Dean Farrell and David Hoy intouch The criteria for gaining certification as a MBB is a rigorous one and includes demonstration of leadership in business, mastery of Six Sigma Methodology, which involves the successful mentoring and coaching of Black Belts/Green Belts in project application of Six Sigma methodology and tools, building and maintaining continuous improvement infrastructure for business, successfully leading complex projects or Six Sigma deployment and training others in Six Sigma methods. 21 Tank Talk JET at FPS This April the annual Federation of Petroleum Suppliers (FPS) exhibition, conference, golf day and gala dinner took place once again in the beautiful spa town of Harrogate, North Yorkshire. The event, held over two days, is an annual pilgrimage for many of those involved in the oil distribution industry and is an ideal chance to enhance business opportunities, network and develop business relationships with most of the key-players in the UK marketplace attending the expo. All visitors received a Jet and ConocoPhillips Ltd branded goodie bag upon entry to the show. intouch There are many trade stands to enable delegates to meet and greet and keep up-to-date with new products and industry developments. As one of the largest suppliers of domestic, agricultural and industrial fuels to JET branded distributors and independent resellers in the UK, the ConocoPhillips Ltd stand was a focal point for our many customers and ‘industry contacts’ alike. Our two vintage petrol pumps branded Conoco and Phillips 66 took pride of 22 place on the stand which featured our ‘Yesterday, today, tomorrow’ message, celebrating our heritage, brand values and integrity as well as focusing on our ‘jewel in the crown’ - the Humber refinery, one of Europe’s finest offering one of the most secure fuel supply networks in the UK. ConocoPhillips Ltd also sponsors the FPS Golf Day, held locally at The Oakdale Golf Club, hosted by Keith Ashton of FPS and Naina Patel of ConocoPhillips Ltd. This year saw 17 teams not only do battle with the demanding course but the most torrential rain which turned the course into more of a ‘paddy-field’ than a putting green! ConocoPhillips Ltd was represented by four teams of staff and customers, pictured below. Despite the conditions, most people managed to play all 18 holes, with the exception of Howard Illingworth and Tony Reddington who, when they got near the clubhouse halfway round, decided to warm their fingers and toes up with a hot toddy! The awards were presented by Lindsey Grant, Manager, National Sales, at the Gala Awards Dinner on the final evening of a very successful and well received couple of 'oily' days and she was delighted to give Guy Pulham his trophy for third place. Below: Guy Pulham Alan Dodson, Suckling Transport Pete George Right: Wayne Oakes Chris Davies, Staffordshire Fuels Andy Davies, Staffordshire Fuels Above: Howard Illingworth, Northern Energy Nick Baker, Refinery Filling Station Tony Reddington Left: Paul Carey Neil Flynn, Linton Fuels Nick Gratton, Heltor This spring saw Jon Lovesay, General Manager of Barton Petroleum, one of Jet’s branded distributors, retire to pastures (or to be exact allotments) new! After four decades working in the oil industry, of which almost 30 years were with Barton Petroleum, latterly as Jet Authorised Distributors, Jon has decided to ‘call it a day’ to make time to ride his beloved Lambretta a little more, amongst his other interests. Jon’s long and successful career saw him help develop the Barton brand, since its foundation in 1972, into one of the foremost independent suppliers of fuel and lubricants to the home, agriculture and industry markets in the country. Jon spent four years as Chairman of the Jet Distributor Council, working closely with colleagues from ConocoPhillips Ltd to further the working relationship between Jet and its resellers to their mutual benefit. Jon has many amusing stories from his time in the industry, his favourite being the time a driver was making a delivery to the home of David Nixon, a famous illusionist from the 1960s. As the driver made his way up the long drive to the house, David Nixon was planting some saplings along the side of the drive and he gave the driver a cheery wave.The driver parked and went to find the tank. Upon his return the lorry was gone so he started to walk back down the drive to see a red faced Mr Nixon walking back up the drive to meet him. The driver noticed the freshly planted saplings were all flattened, so to defuse the situation the driver said:“Ok, I know you’re good but can you make my tanker reappear now please as you need your delivery.” Mr Nixon just burst out laughing and pointed to the tanker, which had by now come to rest half way back down the drive against a fence. Pete George, Manager, Business Development, summed up many years of knowing and working with Jon: “He’s effervescent, passionate, straightforward and was easy to do business with. I’m sure everyone in the oil business who knew him would join me in wishing one of the industry’s ‘nice guys’ a long and happy retirement.” Jon joined ConocoPhillips Ltd staff at a celebratory dinner in Stratford-uponAvon earlier this year where he was presented with tokens of their appreciation, including a framed, personalised Lambretta print, shown left. In Touch joins colleagues far and wide in saying ‘thanks Jon’ and best wishes for your retirement. intouch From Oil to Onions ...and a Lambretta or two 23 Our people and places STEVENSON LEE Mitchell Stevenson joined Reconciliation as a contractor in August 2011 and was offered a permanent position as Reconciliation Analyst in February 2012. Prior to joining us, he spent a placement year at Humber Refinery during his University course. After graduating, Mitchell spent a year travelling around Australia and parts of Asia. He is a keen sportsman and plays football a few times a week. Andrea Lee joined Credit on 22nd February as a contractor for the Credit group and was offered a permanent position as Collector in April 2012. Andrea has worked in Credit Control for a number of years and her hobbies are reading, films and watching cricket. EASTHAM COUPE Jonathan Coupe joined Reconciliation as a contractor in September 2011 and was promoted to a permanent position as Product Accounting Analyst from February 2012.Jon enjoys the great outdoors, in particular taking his mountain bike to North Wales in search of big terrain. He also teaches a Japanese martial art called Iaido. intouch 24 Tom Eastham joined UK & Ireland Marketing on 2nd April as National Customer Accounts Coordinator reporting to Annelise Burgoine. He studied at Portsmouth University for two years and in France for one year and has a 2.1 degree in International Business. Tom's hobbies are tennis and skiing and in his spare time he works for the Warwickshire based charity, iLeap Your starter for 10 UK & IRELAND MARKETING - WARWICK ...or 10 new starters! In Touch ‘universally challenged’ our 10 new faces to tell us a little about themselves MARTIN MURPHY John Martin joined Credit on a temporary contract in January 2011 and was offered a permanent position as Collector in February 2012. Prior to joining us, he worked for City Electrical Factors for 17 years. John’s hobbies are Golf, Pool and Snooker. Chris Murphy joined National Sales on 19th March 2012 as National Customer Accounts Coordinator. He has a BTEC National Diploma in Business. Chris was a professional footballer for six years from the age of 16 to 22 and played for Shrewsbury and Cheltenham. He now enjoys playing for Stratford town. KNOTT DASS James Knott joined Finance, on a temporary contract, in August 2011 and was offered a permanent position as National Sales Reporting Analyst in April 2012. James is a Chartered Management Accountant and prior to joining us he spent 12 months travelling - eight months of which was in New Zealand. His hobbies are golf, football and running. Aekta Dass joined the Credit group on 4th April 2012 as Credit Analyst reporting to Russ Thomas. She studied at Staffordshire University and has a degree in International Business Management. She is currently studying towards CIMA and her interests include reading, walking and running. TAYLOR BLOWER Geoff Taylor joined Finance on 26th September 2011, on a six month contract, and was offered a permanent position as Planning Analyst in April 2012. He is a qualified CIMA accountant with 20 years experience. In his spare time, Geoff enjoys cycling, running and triathlons. Alex Blower joined Regional Sales on 19th March 2012 as Regional Customer Accounts Coordinator. He has a degree in Management Economics, enjoys all sports, in particular playing and watching football, watching movies and beekeeping. the . . . n o d y o r C e li r a h C BIG Charlie has had a fabulous and varied career with ConocoPhillips Ltd and has worked in Felixstowe, Ellesmere Port, Bramhall, London and Warwick. During this time, he has routed ships and trucks, stood on the top of product tanks, become a SAP expert and is relied upon by HMRC to check their legislation is workable. Currently, Charlie leads the Product Accounting team based at UK & Ireland Marketing's head office in Warwick. The group is responsible for ensuring ConocoPhillips Ltd account correctly and accurately for the fuel duty owed to HMRC, which is in the region of £3 Billion per year. Charlie has described his career as: “Absolutely great, I can’t believe there are many other organisations that are so devoted to developing people and encouraging learning.” Congratulations to the following employees who, during the first half of 2012, will have ‘done their time’ and achieved these long service career landmarks 40 Years 31 January - Charlie Croydon 25 Years 2 February - Kevin Sadler 15 Years 13 January - Maria Harbutova 3 March - Christine Thurlbeck 10 Years 7 January - Dave Short 11 March - Ken Johnson 2 April - Jacqui McElfatrick 2 April - Kelly Speller 15 April - Simon Holmes 27 May - Carl Smaller 10 June - Paul Yates g n i ‘do ’ ! e tim ine t s i r h C lbeck Thur KELLY SPELLER PAUL YATES Dave Short Simon Holmes intouch 40 40 Years ago a fresh faced young man walked into the Felixstowe office of Conoco and joined as an 'Admin Clerk'. Who would believe Charlie Croydon is still in the organisation and as fresh, enthusiastic and positive as he was on that first day in 1971 !!!! 25 KEVIN SADLER Maria Harbutova Ken Johnson Jacqui McElfatrick Carl Smaller Out & About... Machu Picchu Treks Two Jet customers find ‘The lost City of the Incas’ a rewarding experience and reward two good causes intouch 26 Rodger Beer, Assistant Buyer (Petrol) for Tesco, tells us about his experience on a charity trek to Machu Picchu last November to raise funds for Kidney Research UK. a pass in between two mountains. Once we reached the peak at midday, we then had to come back down then straight up to our next night’s sleep. “I wanted to do this trek on behalf of a good friend and colleague of mine as he has a kidney disease and needs to have dialysis three times a week - as the disease is hereditary, his children could possibly have the same fate. Because of this and the challenge of the trek, I decided to go for it. “The third day’s trek was tough and we had to climb up to Cruzcasa pass at 4,200 metres, then back down to 3,900 for our night’s stay. This night was particularly cold as we were so high up. “The first couple of days were tough as we had to get used to the altitude. On the acclimatisation day, we went to a couple of old ruins (Tambo Machay and Sacsayhuaman) 600 metres above Cusco and then walked back down which was roughly five hours. “The first day of the trek started by leaving the hotel at 4am as we had to reach a road which was only open for a couple of hours due to repair work. We then arrived at some hot springs (3,650m) to take a dip then off on a fairly easy day, roughly four hours trek to our first night’s camp at a school. The first night’s sleep was cold and uncomfortable and was easing me in for things to come. “On the second day of the trek, once we were all packed up, we left straight up the side of a valley and came back on ourselves to cross “The fourth and last day of the trek itself was very tough as it was difficult to breathe at that altitude. We started off at a steady pace and reached the highest point on the trek (at 4,640m) just before midday. Once this was done we then had the very slow and long journey back down to our final night’s camp (at 3,100m).” Park Garage Group pop to Peru too! Sunil Tandon and Miles Harvey of the Park Garage Group, together with two colleagues, chose to head towards Peru in October last year and hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu (25 Miles, 4,200m) to raise funds for Cancer Research UK. Sunil chose this charity as his sister suffered from cancer last year. He said he enjoyed the experience but it was very hard work and a little hair raising at times. Pictured (left to right) are Jenny Lockwood, Alex Friendship, Sunil Tandon and Miles Harvey Calor clock up the miles for CRY... In October 2011, a Calor team once again participated in The Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon, a sponsored 13.1 mile run through London's four Royal Parks. Pictured (left to right) are: Stephen Rennie (Calor Managing Director), Sue Brookes, Ray Brookes (wearing the Jet t-shirt), Paul Hardwick, David Rowntree, Matt Lightburn, Caroline Neale and Tony Neale. ‘Crowning’ Kilimanjaro Mark Andrews, Group General Manager (left) and Matthew Greensmith, Managing Director (right), both of Crown Oil, completed the climb to the top of Kilimanjaro in September 2011 to raise money for MedEquip4Kids, a children’s charity raising money to provide paediatric medical equipment and facilities for hospitals and community health teams. The charity’s aim is to help ensure babies, children and teenagers receive the best possible care when sick or injured. MoonWalking, Marathon Running Naomi McKenna joined around 17,000 other women and men on Saturday 12th May in Hyde Park, London where the breast cancer charity, Walk the Walk, were celebrating their 15th year of MoonWalking (a marathon walk of 26.2 miles starting at midnight). The photo was taken at the start of the event in the 'Big Pink Tent' with one of the many volunteers that make it all possible. Ian Doubtfire, Managing Director of Jet2.com, one of UK & Ireland Marketing's Aviation customers, recently completed the London Marathon in aid of ORBIS. He says:“Being an aviation enthusiast, I was always aware of the excellent work done by the ORBIS team using their DC10 flying around the world giving the gift of sight just by completing a simple cataract operation. I felt I had to do something to help this non profit organisation which is manned by volunteers.” intouch This was the largest Calor team to date with 15 staff members, including Managing Director, Stephen Rennie, donning their running shoes to raise money for Calor’s corporate charity – Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY). Their ambition was also significantly above the previous year’s, with the aim of raising £15,000 for this worthwhile charity which raises awareness of conditions that can lead to young sudden cardiac death. Every week 12 apparently fit and healthy young people (under 35) die in the UK from undiagnosed heart conditions. CRY works with cardiologists and family doctors to establish good practice and appropriate screening facilities to promote and protect the cardiac health of the young. 27 Out & about Rotary Swimarathon Chandlers Oil & Gas took part in the 23rd Rotary Swimarathon in February to raise funds for The Rotary Club of Grantham Trust. This was another record year for the Rotary Swimarathon. The final sponsorship amount pledged at close of business on the day was £37,187 - up £66 from last year. A record 33,431 lengths were completed by the 237 teams that entered. Many braved the snow on the Saturday evening and others had to virtually dig themselves out on the Sunday to take part - it really showed the true community spirit of the event! Pictured (left to right) are: Mercia Jessop, Simon Caunt, Holly Caunt, John Pilgrim, Paula Caunt Carols at Warwick Castle intouch The Jet Factor Competition The annual Jet Factor competition, which is run by St Mary’s Choirs and sponsored by ConocoPhillips Ltd, also succeeded in finding the region’s next singing sensation. Over 60 local schools and numerous music groups were involved in ‘The Jet Factor’ competition and final auditions were held at Warwick Castle on Saturday 26th November. 28 The Christmas spirit was alive in Warwickshire on Saturday 17th December with the wonderful Carols at Warwick Castle event. Last year’s 40th anniversary event was another sell-out success and money was raised for important local charities and good causes. The spectacular annual event, held every December in the dramatic surroundings of Warwick Castle, is now a highlight of the festive calendar. The evening was enjoyed by 2,500 people and included carol singing from the outstanding Choirs of St Mary’s Church accompanied by the Royal Spa Brass Band. The event was compered by BBC Coventry and Warwickshire’s radio presenter, Annie Othen, and there was a range of hot food, mulled wine and mince pies on sale. As a special feature of the 40th Anniversary, Westgate Primary School and Coten End Primary School encouraged the crowd to get into the festive spirit with two exceptional nativity performances. The winner, Phoebe Stewart, age 12 from Birdingbury, Warwickshire, had the unique opportunity of performing at the event as well as winning an iPod Nano and a family annual pass to Warwick Castle. Phoebe entered herself into the competition as singing is her passion and the opportunity to perform with a choir at Warwick Castle excited her. The joint runners up were Tristan Barford, aged 9 from Warwick and Hal Hewetson, aged 10, also from Warwick; both won iPod shuffles, courtesy of ConocoPhillips Ltd. Go Yogesh... Yogesh Chag from Jet’s Craven Park Service Stationjoined more than 3,400 people around the country who braved blistery April showers for the BAPS Charities Annual Challenge to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support and other worthy causes. BAPS Charities UK held this year’s event in London on Sunday 29th April 2012 in conjunction with the renowned national charity as well as several smaller charities around the country. It brought together members of the community from a wide variety of backgrounds and ages – ranging from three to 97 – to walk, jog or run a distance of 10 kilometres. Macmillan Cancer Support is one of the UK’s leading cancer charities, providing practical, medical and financial support to push for better cancer care. The BAPS Charities Annual Challenge was also completed over various April weekends in a total of 16 centres around the UK, many supporting charities at the local level as well.