Friday Update

Good evening and happy Friday again to you all.

If my calculations are correct today marks the 95th day of our lockdown journey and I appreciate it has been challenging, uncertain and anxious times for us all. Next Saturday, 4th July certainly seems a significant milestone as the hospitality industry re-opens (and thankfully hairdressers too) and whilst this is exciting and feels a big step forwards it is potentially daunting for many in reacclimatising ourselves to an ever-changing and somewhat confusing ‘new norm’. Whilst new ways of working are proving very efficient and effective and have certainly allowed us to get back to business, if you’re anything like me I must confess that it would be really nice to actually talk to our clients, consultants and wider supply chain face-to-face and avoid the “you’re on mute” that has become synonymous with the past few months. Nonetheless, government advice is striving to keep us all safe whilst allowing a little more freedom and as regulations continue to relax I would once again encourage you all to stay alert and avoid any unnecessary risks.

The office is certainly getting busier so a gentle reminder to everyone returning to work at Century House to please observe new rules of induction and heightened hygiene measures to ensure your safety and that of your colleagues. Whilst remote working continues to be encouraged to avoid overcrowding, particularly of communal spaces, it would be good as we slowly return to ‘business as usual’ to see more of you in the office for at least some of the time during the working week, and I am sure a rota system could be agreed with your line manager if you work in an open plan office to ensure social distancing can be maintained. Reception continues to be covered between the hours of 9am to 4:30pm and please do keep Katie informed of your whereabouts.

All sites are continuing to progress well whilst keeping everyone safe and whilst the clement weather certainly helps us push forwards it must be challenging as temperatures have soared in recent days and I do hope you are all managing to keep cool. I’m sorry not to have had the opportunity to make it to site this week so it is bound to rain next week when I do get chance to visit.

The tower crane at Charing has proved an ideal vantage point to capture footage of the exceptional progress being made in delivering extra care accommodation for longstanding client Orbit, with Phil Hards reporting the team are “full steam ahead” and nearing 100% productivity which is extremely encouraging to hear. To view the progress simply click on the link: Download Attachment

Post-COVID closure we have remained unwavering in our commitment to deliver in a manner that ensures safety, quality and our compassion and consideration for the communities we serve would never be compromised in order to make up for lost time. The recent Considerate Constructors report for William Muge (pictured below) and Snelgrove in Dover serves as perfect testimony to this and achieving ‘Performance Beyond Compliance’ is even more impressive given that the audit was carried out remotely. The report praises our COVID-19 precautions and procedures and states “it is clear the workforce are being treated fairly and with respect” which is so positive to hear above anything else.

Happy Birthday today to Marcus Sorrell and I don’t believe we have any other notable ‘big’ birthdays this week but I would like to offer our congratulations to Steve and Judy Restall who welcomed their first grandchild into the world during lockdown with baby Charlie arriving safely on 8th April. Congratulations to parents Katie and Tom (who many of you know) and delighted to hear they are all doing really well! Steve certainly hasn’t stopped beaming since!

Whilst we continue to look forward it is always nice to pause and reflect on past achievements and as last weekend marked midsummers day, it has been two years since Team Jenner conquered the Three Peaks Challenge raising an astonishing £22,000 for three deserving charities. What a remarkable (and gruelling) 24 hours this was and the achievement of a lifetime for many of us, with lasting memories made!

Last year also saw a number of the team complete the Pilgrims Way Challenge too – a demanding 55km in the summer heat and generating a further £3,000 of charitable donations. As a business it is so important we give something back to our local community and engaging in events in this manner certainly nurtures the incredibly strong team spirit that we pride ourselves on at Jenner. I do hope future years to come will be a little more settled and allow us to take on our next team challenge.

Please do stay safe and well with continued positivity and optimism and I wish you all a relaxing and enjoyable weekend.

Martin