AVC PR Partnership

Arrochar and Tarbet came together to celebrate in style at the weekend, (Saturday, September 26, 2009) to mark the official presentation of their title as Scottish Calor Village of the Year 2009. With a host of VIPs in attendance to present a total jackpot prize of £9500 for community investment, the day was a terrific success.

Mr Richard Lochhead MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Environment, Provost William Petrie for Argyll and Bute, Alistair Todd, Area Network Manager for Calor Scotland and Frank Gunning, President of the Association of Scottish Community Councils (ASCC), were amongst the VIP guests that were entertained by Inverary and District pipe band before heading up an official presentation to the community at Arrochar Parish Church.

Duncan MacLachlan, Chair of the Arrochar and Tarbet Community Development Trust was presented with the cheque and commemorative plaque before kicking off the fun packed day of games, food and entertainment, hosted by Calor Gas Ltd. This included a series of events for all ages, a barbecue to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Arrochar Parish Church re-opening, a fiddler’s rally and a spectacular firework display beside Loch Long to complete the day.

The community deservedly scooped the esteemed title, astounding judges with its vision for the future.

“Arrochar and Tarbet truly showed the determination and huge community spirit required to make the best out of rural living,” said Frank Gunning, one of the judges and President of the ASCC. “The community had once been a thriving hub for the Ministry of Defence’s torpedo range on Loch Long, but some parts had since started to slip into poor condition. Recognising the need to rejuvenate the scenic village, Arrochar and Tarbet worked incredibly hard to fundraise and regenerate the community into a shining example of what can be achieved when people come together and work towards a common good.

“The regeneration of Arrochar Parish Church is outstanding. Having seen a community come together, raise funds and give up time and skills to create one of the most beautiful churches in Scotland is just brilliant. By creating a village ‘hub’ through the development of a community hall and showing a vision for the future with redevelopment plans for Arrochar’s pier, villagers are making strategic moves towards developing the community for the future.

“The community has a great atmosphere and you can tell everyone involved really cares about the future of this spectacular village. Well done to them, it’s a fantastic achievement and I would like to thank them for their kind hospitality and a fantastic day!”

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Environment, Richard Lochhead added:

“Community spirit is an essential ingredient in the vibrancy of Scottish rural life. The energy and dynamism that exists in the village of Arrochar and Tarbet is rightly being celebrated and it was great to see for myself why it is such a worthy winner of this award.

“The Scottish Government is doing all it can to support the economic and social fabric of rural communities. By empowering them to make their own choices and decisions we can ensure they enjoy a bright future.”

Organised by Calor Gas Ltd (Scotland), with support from the Association of Scottish Community Councils (ASCC) and The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisation’s (SCVO) Rural Team, the awards are designed to allow Scotland’s rural communities to promote their success and achievements, share best community practice and demonstrate initiatives towards sustainability. Communities were judged on four categories this year; people, business, sustainability and communication.

• For more information on the Scottish Calor Village of the Year 2009 competition, contact Lynsey Shepherd on 01224 217345 or email info@calorvoy.org.uk

• For further information on Calor and its sustainability commitment, visit www.calor.co.uk

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Scottish Calor Village of the Year®

The Scottish Calor Village of the Year® competition is open to rural communities throughout Scotland with a population of 5,000 or under. Entry is open to all community bodies if they are in line with the following criteria:

• A ‘not-for-profit’ local organisation or trust set up to improve the social, economic or environmental health of the local community
• A strong emphasis on the involvement of local individuals or groups active within the community
• Partnerships, networks or forums acting within a localised community

Calor, the leading supplier of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) to those living and working in the countryside, has supported rural activities throughout the UK for 22 years through its Rural Sponsorship programme, which includes the Scottish Calor Village of the Year® competition. Please note that Calor Village of the Year® is a registered trademark and should be referred to in full in all circumstances.

ASCC

The Association of Scottish Community Councils (ASCC) is a national membership organisation, which was formed in 1993 as a representative association for Scotland’s community councils. It has worked with Calor on rural sponsorship programmes since 1998.

The objectives of the association are to:

• Actively promote the role, effectiveness and status of community councils in Scotland.
• Establish, co-ordinate and express the views of member community councils.
• Provide a forum for the exchange of information between community councils.

The Association aims to assist and support community councils and to help them represent their communities effectively, based on information and shared experience.
Further information can be found at www.ascc.org.uk

The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisation (SCVO) Rural Team

The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisation’s Rural Team has responsibility for content management of the Scotland National Rural Network website, delivery of the Rural Direct service helping communities to access funding and providing policy and information support for the voluntary sector in rural Scotland. You can find the Rural Network website at www.ruralgateway.org.uk.

For further information:

Lynsey Shepherd
AVC Creative Ltd
Tel 01224 248007
DD 01224 217345
lshepherd@avcmedia.com

ISSUED ON BEHALF OF CALOR VILLAGE OF THE YEAR BY AVC CREATIVE LTD

An Aberdeen school, which has been recognised for its sector-leading standards in special needs education, is to adopt a new name and new identity as it develops its services to meet a growing need.

Camphill Rudolf Steiner School will now be known as Camphill School Aberdeen and, at the same the school has adopted a stronger visual identity that will be gradually phased in as existing materials are replaced.

Explaining the reason for the change, Laurence Alfred, a co-ordinator at Camphill School Aberdeen, said:

“We have had considerable success recently in recognition of the school’s professional standards.

“To coincide with that we believe it is appropriate to adopt a name that is simpler, more memorable and also underlines the importance of our home in Aberdeen. The new name achieves that and incorporates the internationally recognised Camphill symbol, but symbolises how the individual is at the heart of everything we do.”

Camphill School Aberdeen is an independent voluntary school which operates on three campuses – Camphill (Milltimber), Murtle (Bieldside) and Cairnlee (Bieldside) – in the Lower Deeside area of Aberdeen. The school provides residential and day places for more than 90 pupils, offering education, care and therapy.

Camphill School Aberdeen holds Autism Accreditation and was also recognised for its sector-leading standards of excellence in the most recent joint report by the HM Inspectorate of Education and the Care Commission.

Camphill School Aberdeen is one of six Camphill Aberdeen City and Shire communities, which provide support for children, young adults, adults and the elderly who have special needs. Founded at Camphill in the Milltimber area of Aberdeen in June 1940, the Camphill Movement now extends to more than 100 centres in 23 countries.

• Camphill School Aberdeen website is at www.camphillschool.org.uk

The race is on to find this year’s Scottish Calor Village of the Year, as the Scottish competition launches today, Monday, 16 March, 2009. The annual competition, boosted by its biggest ever jackpot prize of £9,000, is on the look out for Scotland’s best rural community with a population of 5000 or under, eager to receive the accolade from last year’s winner, the Isle of Barra.

Organised by Calor Scotland, with support from the Association of Scottish Community Councils (ASCC) and Rural Gateway, the awards are designed to allow Scotland’s rural communities to promote their success and achievements, share best community practice and demonstrate initiatives towards sustainability. Communities will be judged on four categories this year; people, business, sustainability and communication.

“These awards are all about encouraging communities to look at their own sustainability,” says Calor’s MD, Stephen Rennie. “This isn’t about how beautiful your community is – we’re looking for real people, real community spirit and proven development towards current and future community sustainability. The emphasis is on encouraging communities to work together to create a better place to live for everyone - and many find simply taking part is just as rewarding as winning.”

“With four regional awards (North, South, Central and Islands), and one national award in Scotland, we hope to inspire communities by highlighting best practice and celebrating the successes around the country,” adds Stephen.

With the high standard of entries in last year’s competition, organisers are hoping previous entrants will be joined by newcomers to compete for the prestigious 2009 title. This year’s prize money will receive a boost from Calor, awarding £2000 to each regional winner and £7000 to the overall winner for community investment – the biggest prize fund ever awarded in the Scottish competition. Celebrations in the community will be encouraged by Calor.

“Calor has been a part of Scottish rural life for nearly 75 years, providing gas for heating, hot water, cooking, industrial and leisure activities and we believe in playing an active role in the communities we serve”, continues Stephen. “Scotland’s rural communities have a wealth of diversity and the work done to sustain and develop them often goes unrecognised.”

The four award categories have been carefully chosen to reflect important aspects of community life:

• People category: how different generations and other groups within the population work together to help each other, provide sustainable facilities and activities to nourish and maintain the community.
• Sustainability category: what communities are doing to protect and improve the local and global environment, and any conservation activities being undertaken to ensure sustainability and self-sufficiency.
• Business category: how local businesses and the population interact to support one another and the community.
• Communication category: what is done to promote inclusion, ensuring that people know what is happening in the community and how to participate.

Entry to the awards can be made by representatives of any not-for-profit local community body, including community councils, community associations, village hall committees and local networks, partnerships or forums, which represent their local communities. Entry to the competition is by completion of an online questionnaire and submission of up to 500 words explaining ‘What makes your rural community a special place?’

People interested in entering their community for the awards can register online by visiting the competition website at www.calorvoy.org.uk. The closing date for entries is May 15, 2009, at 12 noon. Judging will take place during the summer, with the winner due to be announced in August.

March 16, 2009

ends

Notes to Editors:

• For further information on Calor and its sustainability commitment please visit: www.calor.co.uk
• For more information about the Scottish Calor Village of the Year competition contact Lynsey Shepherd on 01224 217345 or email lshepherd@avcmedia.com
• ENTER NOW: visit www.calorvoy.org.uk for more information and online entry.
• Image 1 and Image 2

Scottish Calor Village of the Year®

The Scottish Calor Village of the Year® competition is open to rural communities throughout Scotland with a population of 5,000 or under. Entry is open to all community bodies if they are in line with the following criteria:

• A ‘not-for-profit’ local organisation or trust set up to improve the social, economic or environmental health of the local community
• A strong emphasis on the involvement of local individuals or groups active within the community
• Partnerships, networks or forums acting within a localised community

Calor, the leading supplier of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) to those living and working in the countryside, has supported rural activities throughout the UK for 22 years through its Rural Sponsorship programme, which includes the Scottish Calor Village of the Year® competition. Please note that Calor Village of the Year® is a registered trademark and should be referred to in full in all circumstances.

PLEASE NOTE: The winner of the Scottish Calor Village of the Year 2008 is not permitted to enter until 2012.

ASCC

The Association of Scottish Community Councils (ASCC) is a national membership organisation, which was formed in 1993 as a representative association for Scotland’s community councils. It has worked with Calor on rural sponsorship programmes since 1998.

The objectives of the association are to:

Actively promote the role, effectiveness and status of community councils in Scotland.

Establish, co-ordinate and express the views of member community councils.

Provide a forum for the exchange of information between community councils.

The association’s aim is to assist and support community councils and to help them represent their communities effectively, based on information and shared experience.

Further information can be found at www.ascc.org.uk

Rural Gateway

The Rural Community Gateway website shares news, views and information across Scotland’s rural communities. It is a Scottish Government initiative, designed and developed by online community specialists Sift, with content and editorial services provided by the Rural Communities Team at SCVO. The website can be found at www.ruralgateway.org.uk.

For further information:

Lynsey Shepherd
AVC PR Partnership
Tel 01224 248007
DD 01224 217345
lshepherd@avcmedia.com

Neil Robertson
AVC PR Partnership
Tel 01224 248007
DD 01224 216068
nrobertson@avcmedia.com

ISSUED ON BEHALF OF THE SCOTTISH CALOR VILLAGE OF THE YEAR BY AVC PR PARTNERSHIP LTD

Proserv Abandonment and Decommissioning, the Proserv Group business unit that has established itself as the world’s most comprehensive abandonment and decommissioning contractor, is to be established as a separate company with its global base in the UK.

With an annual turnover of £40 million, the new company will operate under the new name of Proserv Offshore from Kintore, Aberdeenshire.

Commenting on the move, David Dent, former Senior Vice President of Proserv Abandonment and Decommissioning and now Managing Director of Proserv Offshore, said:

“Through a programme of strategic acquisitions over the past 18 months we have brought together some of the best-known names in the abandonment and decommissioning industry.

“As a result we have created the most comprehensive abandonment and decommissioning contractor in the world. We have a geographical spread from Australia and Malaysia to the Gulf of Mexico, with more than 200 personnel strategically placed to tackle projects around the world.

“We aim to continue growing our business both organically and through acquisition and believe the business requires a dedicated focus from the management team.

“We decided to retain the Proserv name because of the considerable investment made by existing shareholders and management in building the brand awareness, while introducing Offshore in order to highlight our key business focus.”

The Proserv Group continues to operate from its base in Norway with a focus on the four remaining strategic business units.
Proserv Offshore will operate four divisions to support its specialist services:

Decommissioning Contractors and Engineers

• Complete platform, pipeline and well decommissioning
• Decommissioning project management
• Consulting services

Abandonment Services

• Well plugging and abandonment
• Subsea well abandonment
• Conductor cutting and removal

Subsea and Marine Technology

• Cold cutting systems including water abrasive, diamond wire and reciprocating technologies
• Seabed dredging systems
• High-pressure cleaning and coating removal systems
• Friction stud welding systems for anode and grating attachment

HP and UHP Pumps

• High pressure and ultra high-pressure pumps for offshore and onshore use
• High flow flushing and filtration units
• Hot water washers for offshore use

Proserv Offshore is planning to develop an expanded base near its worldwide headquarters in Kintore, just outside Aberdeen, Scotland.

ends

For further information:

Ken McEwen
Mobile +44 7768 105449
ken@prpartnership.co.uk

Issued on behalf of Proserv Offshore by AVC PR Partnership

Aberdeen College and Devanha Ltd, a partnership of North-east housing associations, have confirmed plans for a new college campus in the Donside Urban Village at the former Donside Paper Mill, in the Tillydrone area of Aberdeen.

The plans would see Aberdeen College relocate most of its city centre facilities to a new riverside campus within the Donside Urban Village. An indicative figure of £40 million has been given for the development. The site of the proposed college campus was originally suggested as a potential site for a hotel.

Planning permission for the housing development in the Donside Urban Village was granted by Aberdeen City Council in April this year. The 25-acre brownfield site was approved for 278 new homes, making it the largest affordable home development ever seen in North East Scotland.

Commenting on the proposal to develop a college campus as part of the village, Aberdeen College Principal Rae Angus said:
“The College is keen to replace most of its city centre site and the location at Donside is an excellent opportunity. We look forward to working with Tenants First to bring the matter to a successful conclusion in the very near future.”

Sandy Murray, Chief Executive of Tenants First Housing Co-operative, which is leading the Donside Urban Village development on behalf of the Devanha partners, said:

“We are delighted that Aberdeen College is proposing to develop their new campus as part of the Donside Urban Village. From the outset we have placed great emphasis on making sure Donside Urban Village was genuinely sustainable and that it provided employment opportunities within the community.

“Aberdeen College is not only a major employer, the development of a new campus is a prestigious development that will certainly bring significant benefits for Donside Urban Village and the regeneration of the Tillydrone area of the city.”

The former Donside Paper Mill site was purchased by Devanha Ltd in 2007 with support from the Scottish Government. The Donside Urban Village is being developed on behalf of four housing associations within Devanha – Tenants First Housing Co-operative, Aberdeenshire Housing Partnership and Grampian and Langstane housing associations.

It will be a mixed tenure development providing affordable homes along with some for private purchase. To ensure the village has a life of its own, the plans include office space, business start up units and provision for neighbourhood shops.

A proposed hydro-electric plant on the old mill lade would produce around twice the electricity needed for the village. The homes will also feature solar water heating along with particularly high levels of insulation. The construction materials have been chosen for their low energy usage.

Donside Urban Village

For further information:

Ken McEwen
AVC PR Partnership
Tel 01467 633667 or 01224 248007
Mobile 07768 105449
kmcewen@avcmedia.com

Lynsey Shepherd
AVC PR Partnership
Tel 01224 248007
lynsey@avcmedia.com

Sandy Murray, Chief Executive
Tenants First
Tel 01224 628400
Mobile 07875 374116
smurray@tenantsfirst.com

Rhonda Fraser
Aberdeen College
Tel 01224 612221
Mobile 07989 547353
r.fraser@abcol.ac.uk

ISSUED ON BEHALF OF DEVANHA LTD BY
AVC PR PARTNERSHIP LTD

Islanders on the Isle of Barra were amid celebrations yesterday, (December 02, 2008) as the remote community was crowned the Calor UK Village of the Year 2008 in London.

The island community scooped the overall UK and Scottish competition titles at a prestigious awards ceremony at London’s Guildhall.

“This is a massive achievement for the Western Isles community,” said Calor Village of the Year Manager Suzanne Weir. “Barra has beaten hundreds of rural communities from the length and breadth of the UK to be crowned the first ever Calor UK Village of the Year 2008. The community is an excellent example of how to make the most out of rural living.”

The Isle of Barra secured the Calor Scottish Island Community of the Year 2008 title in September, by impressing judges with its wide variety of community activities, how it works to protect and enhance its environment and the efforts made to include people of all ages in its activities. The islanders also demonstrated how they are constantly striving towards ensuring Barra’s own sustainability by growing their own vegetables for local consumption and installing a community owned 900kW wind turbine.

Suzanne Weir accompanied the judges to the island during the judging process:

“The standard of entries throughout the UK was very high, with communities displaying huge acts of community spirit. What made it for Barra was how the population work together to address the challenges of living in such an isolated location, the wide range of community projects being undertaken and the genuine desire to work as a team to create the best working, living and social environment possible. I feel genuinely privileged to have had the opportunity to visit Barra. The island has a great atmosphere and the community made our time on the island very enjoyable – we didn’t want to leave! I’m in no doubt the islanders will celebrate their successes tonight – well done to them, it’s a great achievement.”

As the winners of the Scottish competition Barra received a total £4,000 of prize money to invest in the community and as the UK winner they will receive a one-off commissioned mosaic piece of artwork for their community by Plymouth-based artist, Sarah McCormack.

Gerard MacDonald, representative for Isle of Barra comments:

“Words can’t really describe how delighted we are to have won such a significant competition. This is a massive achievement, and it is so nice to be chosen in first place. We are proud to belong to the UK Calor Village of the Year 2008! The Isle of Barra is a beautiful place, with brilliant people – this competition has put us on the tourism ‘map’ and we look forward to welcoming anyone who wants to come and experience a slice of island life in the best community in the UK.”

The Calor Village of the Year Awards are organised by gas supplier Calor, with the competition in Scotland receiving support from Rural Gateway and the Association of Scottish Community Councils (ASCC).

Further information about the competition can be found at the awards website at www.calorvillageoftheyear.org/scotland.

December 03, 2008

ends

Image 1

Image 2

For further information:

Mark Guest
AVC PR Partnership
Tel +44 (0) 1224 216069
Mob +44 (0) 7770 852105
mguest@avcmedia.com

Lynsey Shepherd
AVC PR Partnership
Tel + 44 (0) 1224 248007
DD +44 (0) 1224 217345
lshepherd@avcmedia.com

Penny George
AVC PR Partnership
Tel + 44 (0) 1224 248007
DD + 44 (0) 1224 216074
pgeorge@avcmedia.com

ISSUED ON BEHALF OF CALOR VILLAGE OF THE YEAR BY AVC PR PARTNERSHIP LTD

Aberdeen-based Tenants First Housing Co-operative has been short-listed for a prestigious National Home Improvement Council Award, recognising significant achievements in the UK housing arena.

Britain’s largest fully mutual housing co-operative is nominated for the award for best brownfield or recycled building project, focussing on its recently completed Roanheads development in Peterhead.

The former fish factory site was previously turned down by a variety of contractors, put off by considerable levels of hydrocarbon contamination in the ground. Tenants First, however, saw the site as a prime development opportunity, which following a six month demolition and clean up, now accommodates 45 purpose built family homes and eight sheltered houses.

The development is also a Homezone project, an initiative which aims to reclaim residential streets back from traffic, with streets designed to encourage walking, cycling and community activity. Sandy Murray, Chief Executive for Tenants First comments:

“ Roanheads features a Homezone in the St Peter’s Street area – a Netherlands concept specifically developed with pedestrians in mind. Strategically placed features, such as trees, benches and block paving mean cars are secondary to pedestrians, creating a safe, socially inclusive community environment.

“We worked together with local contractors Stewart Milne to create the development using a state-of-the-art closed panel system. This kind of construction is predominantly factory-based, maintaining high standard finishing as well as reducing on-site time. The panels arrived in Peterhead with insulation, doors and windows already intact. High levels of insulation couples with reduced energy bills, meaning the development is also very environmentally friendly.

“Tenants First has transformed the brownfield site and established the wider environment as an attractive, safe and desirable residential community in keeping with Peterhead’s heritage. Our short listing for this award is a significant achievement in itself, recognising our desire to provide innovative affordable housing and our support for regeneration.”

The NHIC Awards luncheon is to be held in London on November 20, 2008, hosted by its President, The Rt Hon Nick Raynsford MP.

For more information on Tenants First Housing Co-operative visit www.tenantsfirst.com or contact Sandy Murray on 01224 628400.

Image 1

November 03, 2008

ends

For further information:

Lynsey Shepherd
AVC PR Partnership
Tel 01224 248007
DD 01224 217345
lshepherd@avcmedia.com

Ken McEwen
AVC PR Partnership
Tel 01224 248007
DD 01224 216067
kmcewen@avcmedia.com

ISSUED ON BEHALF OF TENANTS FIRST HOUSING CO-OPERATIVE BY
AVC PR PARTNERSHIP LTD

Television personality Timmy Mallett has chosen Aberdeen for the first Scottish exhibition of his paintings.

The exhibition opens on Saturday, October 11, at Artists Gallery – ¬a social company that provides training and work opportunities for people with a disability. Timmy Mallett will make a personal appearance at the Holburn Street gallery on Sunday, October 12, from 12 noon to 3 pm.

Timmy, who is in Aberdeen to headline a gig at Tiger Tiger on Friday night (October 10), explained why he chose Aberdeen as the location for his first Scottish exhibition:

“I’ve always loved painting and I’m delighted that my first-ever Scottish exhibition will be in my favourite Scottish city.

“It’s great to be spending the weekend in Aberdeen. I’ll get to wield ‘Mallett’s Mallet’ and perform my number 1 hit ‘Itsy Bitsy’ at Tiger Tiger on Friday Night; then you can see the results of ‘Mallett’s Palette’ with my first Scottish exhibition at the Artists Gallery on Sunday afternoon.

“I’m looking forward to spending time with my Downs Syndrome brother Martin, who lives at the Camphill Newton Dee village in Aberdeen and also spending time with my good friend Lorraine Kelly who lives down the coast. It will be a top weekend in God’s own country!”

Commenting on the exhibition, Sandy Murray of Artists Gallery, and its sister company Banchory Gallery, said:

“We are absolutely delighted to be hosting Timmy’s first-ever Scottish exhibition.

“Timmy’s exhibition runs concurrently with our recently opened show of exclusive album cover artwork signed by David Bowie, Nick Mason, Jimmy Page, Paul Weller, Storm Thorgerson and others. These are prestigious exhibitions to have brought to Aberdeen and are a real source of pride to everyone on team at the Artists Gallery and its sister company Banchory Galllery.”

Timmy Mallett will have between around 15 new paintings on show. Timmy’s love of painting goes back to when he studied History of Art as part of his degree course. In recent years he has developed his own painting skills, encouraged by a keen artistic friendship and interaction with Rolf Harris. “He is an enthusiastic and exciting artist,” Rolf Harris says, “I’m knocked out by his work”.

• Artist’s Gallery is at 403 Holburn Street, Aberdeen AB10 7GS Telephone 01224 585188 The website is http://www.banchorygallery.co.uk, click on the Artists Gallery link.

Photos

Photo 1

Photo 2

ends

For further information:

Ken McEwen
AVC PR Partnership
Tel 01224 248007
DD 01224 216067
Mobile 07768 105449
ken@prpartnership.co.uk
Timmy Mallett’s agent::
John Miles
Tel 01275 854675
john@johnmiles.co.uk

ISSUED ON BEHALF OF ARTISTS GALLERY BY
AVC PR PARTNERSHIP LTD

Editor’s notes:

1. To arrange further background information on Timmy Mallett or to arrange interviews contact John Miles (contact details above).
2. Further photos of Timmy Mallett’s paintings are available from Ken McEwen at AVC PR Partnership (contact details above).
3. Timmy Mallett’s website is at www.timmymallett.co.uk
4. Timmy Mallett’s paintings are at http://www.bucksfineart.com – click on “originals” then “Timmy Mallett”

Tenants First Housing Co-operative, based in Aberdeen, has been highly commended for its operating standards in three reports published this summer. Tenants First is Britain’s largest housing co-operative with 1,200 affordable homes across the North East of Scotland.

In July, Tenants First received a very positive inspection report from the Scottish Housing Regulator. This was immediately followed by an equally positive report from the Care Commission and then the reassessment report for the co-operative’s Investors in People standard.

The Scottish Housing Regulator’s report was the most comprehensive involving a two-week inspection period to examine the effectiveness of housing service delivery. Giving Tenants First a good rating overall, the inspector notes a total of five instances of excellent practice.

The Care Commission report covers three Tenants First sheltered housing developments in Mintlaw, Peterhead and Fraserburgh. It comes at a time when the co-operative is about to take on the direct provision of warden services at its three Aberdeen sheltered housing developments at Aboyne Place, Sheddocksley and Princes Street.

The Care Commission report grades Tenants First as “very good” or “excellent” in all the areas covered by the inspection.
Sandy Murray, Chief Executive of Tenants First, said:

“We are delighted to have received three extremely positive reports in the last two months. Clearly this reflects very well on the dedication and professionalism of all our staff and the strategic leadership of the committee of management.

“A key strategic objective of the co-operative is to be recognised as an organisation which promotes excellence and these results are evidence of what we have achieved to date.”

• The Scottish Housing Regulator’s report can be downloaded at www.scottishhousingregulator.gov.uk
• Care Commission report can be downloaded at www.carecommission.com
• The Tenants First Housing Co-operative website is at www.tenantsfirst.com

The Spires Serviced Suites in Birmingham has received a gold award for best practice by Marketing Birmingham.

Having launched in the city just over one year ago The Spires has been recognised by Marketing Birmingham as ‘gold standard’ due to its excellent customer service and first class accommodation for both business and leisure guests.

With 31 suites comprising a mix of one and two bedrooms, situated in the heart of Birmingham, close to the NEC, each apartment features separate bathroom, fully functioning kitchen with all mod cons and lounge fitted out to the highest standards with self controlled heating, digital TV, home entertainment system.

Birmingham was also the venue chosen to launch The Spires bespoke Directors Suites. The specialist one-bedroom apartments each feature their own private office, equipped with wi-fi, full sized desk, filing cabinet, USB printer (ideal for printing off your boarding card if checking in online) and a selection of stationery.

Managing Director of The Spires, Margaret Beattie comments:

“We are delighted to receive the award from Marketing Birmingham, particularly as we are the first to receive it. The Spires is all about quality and providing our clients with a comfortable stay, as close to home life as possible. Our suites are perfect for business guests, creating the perfect working environment when away from home on business or relocating because of a new job.

“Our larger suites are particularly popular with families too, as a stay with us means no more drinking a warm bottle of wine perched on the end of a bed with the TV on mute!”

Since opening in Birmingham in April 2007 The Spires has experienced a steady increase in occupancy with popular dates selling out quickly.

“We’re noticing that business and leisure guests are looking for more in their accommodation,” continues Margaret. “Freedom and quality are a must but also, with the current economic climate our customers want to reduce costs where possible – sharing a suite at The Spires is the perfect solution.”

Marketing Birmingham has developed Quality in Birmingham to help the tourism industry in Birmingham, advocating the highest standards of quality, customer care and staff development. This will help Birmingham achieve its goal of making the city and region a place where visitors can enjoy a quality visit, serviced by quality people in a quality destination.

“The Spires is a worthy winner of the Quality in Birmingham award,” said Ivor Marsh of Marketing Birmingham. “It shows that new businesses coming to the city are as committed as we are in developing the quality of service in Birmingham and making it a world class destination.”

The Spires has serviced suites in Birmingham, Glasgow and Aberdeen. For more information and bookings visit www.thespires.co.uk or call 0845 270 0090.

September 1 2008

Ends

Notes to editors:

Pictures attached: Birmingham kitchen and Birmingham lounge

Press trips are available – for more information please contact:

Mark Guest
AVC PR Partnership
T: 01224 248007
E: mguest@avcmedia.com

Issued on behalf of The Spires Serviced Suites by AVC PR Partnership