Bowers Group Marketing Manager Ellie Skinner is preparing for the challenge of a lifetime as she takes on an 11-day trek to Everest Base Camp, situated at an altitude of 5,364 meters (17,598 feet) at the foot of the world’s highest peak. The trek, planned for September 2025, will see Ellie journey through the breathtaking Khumbu Valley in the Himalayas, pushing her physical and mental limits to achieve a remarkable personal milestone.
Fundraising for Holbeach Hospital
Ellie, who now lives in Sheffield, is undertaking this incredible challenge to raise much-needed funds for Holbeach Hospital, a cause that holds deep personal significance. She is training for the trek in the nearby Peak District, making use of the area’s rugged terrain to build her fitness and endurance.
Her journey is a heartfelt tribute to her late father, Kevin Storey, who passed away on 17th March 2023 after battling Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Kevin spent his final weeks in the compassionate care of Holbeach Hospital, a facility that has supported multiple generations of Ellie’s family.
Ellie explains: “Fundraising for Holbeach Hospital means a great deal to me. My Father Kevin and his mother Beryl (my Grandmother) both spent the final few weeks of their lives in Holbeach Hospital. Not only that, my late Grandfather Bernard (Kevin’s father) also spent some time in Holbeach Hospital for respite care. I’m so grateful for the care that they were able to give Dad, and the support and kindness we received as a family. It means the world to me to be able to give something back to a cause very close to my heart.”
Ellie’s goal is to highlight the invaluable care and support Holbeach Hospital provides to patients and their families while inspiring others to contribute to this vital community resource.
Bowers Group’s Financial Controller, Mike Turner, successfully completed the gruelling Ironman Triathlon in Hamburg, Germany, raising vital funds for The Yorkshire Air Ambulance charity. After previously conquering half-distance triathlons, Mike decided to take on the full Ironman challenge and raised almost £1000 in the process.
The Ironman Triathlon in Hamburg is a popular endurance event that draws athletes from around the world. Set in the city of Hamburg, Germany, the race includes a 3.8-kilometer swim in the Alster Lake, a 180.2-kilometer bike ride through the countryside, and a 42.2-kilometer marathon run through the city’s streets.
Reflecting on his Triathlon experience, Mike said, “Completing the challenge in just 10 hours and 45 minutes was an incredible experience. Raising money for such a worthy cause provided extra motivation, especially during the toughest moments! Thank you to everyone who supported me.”
Every year the Spear & Jackson Group sponsor the Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity Snowflake appeal, and this year is no different! Once again, we will have our very own twinkling snowflake on the side of the Children’s Hospital over the Christmas period, lit up on Monday 2nd December.
Supporting the charity in this way helps fund new facilities, vital research, specialist equipment, and goes towards assisting a comfortable, engaging setting to help thousands of children from across the UK and beyond.
2024 saw the launch of our Menopause Café at the Atlas site in Sheffield. The Café has been held multiple times during the year and is a safe space for anyone to come along and chat about perimenopause and menopause. The group aim to create an environment whereby all colleagues can talk about it openly and has also issued employee guidance and manager guidance that is available on the intranet.
The Menopause Café in 2025
2025 will see some revisions to the Menopause Café to ensure it is utilised as much as possible by people that find it helpful. So, if you are feeling confused about menopause, have questions, would like to share your experience of the process, or would just like to be prepared for what is a perfectly natural but rarely discussed stage in a woman’s life, why not come and join the next Menopause Café?
The Group HR team recently spent a day volunteering at Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice. Being able to give back to the local community was a pleasure and privilege, and the team spent the day putting together a selection of tombola goody bags, as well as tidying and organising the arts and crafts storeroom.
Not only a great opportunity to help and get involved in the community, but an overall rewarding experience and great team building!
The Group supported this year’s Comic Relief with various activities across the Sheffield, Bradford and Camberley sites on Friday 15th March. In Atlas, the Spear & Jackson Bake-Off took place, and staff channelled their inner Paul Hollywood to enter a home baked treat into the competition. Cakes and bakes were sold at £1 each and all funds raised were donated to Comic Relief. Sylwia Borowska won the well deserved Bake-Off crown with her amazing bake.
Bake Off Competition
The Bowers Bradford site also held their very own Bake-Off competition, with Karen Hobson crowned the worthy winner, as well as the opportunity to put fellow colleagues in the stocks! People were also welcome to wear red in support of Comic Relief.
Thanks to everyone who contributed and donated to raising a total of £530.59, which the Group topped up to £1,000!
Eclipse Magnetics is proud to announce its sponsorship as Mission Patrons of the Oceans Elite Row, a monumental Atlantic rowing challenge set to take place in December 2024. The Oceans Elite Row team, led by two veterans, Skipper Chris Thrall and First Mate Louie Greenhalgh, will embark on a gruelling 3,000-mile journey from Gran Canaria to Barbados, enduring extreme conditions to raise funds for two vital charities: Scotty’s Little Soldiers and Alabaré.
The challenge, which has seen fewer participants than those who have summitted Mount Everest, is not for the faint-hearted. Chris Thrall and Louie Greenhalgh will spend fourteen hours each day rowing across the Atlantic Ocean, with no support from other vessels. They will be completely self-sufficient, surviving on dehydrated food and desalinating their own water to keep going on their perilous journey.
Mission Patrons
As Mission Patrons, Eclipse Magnetics is honoured to back the inspiring efforts of these veterans, who will push their limits to raise awareness and funds for the charities they are supporting. Scotty’s Little Soldiers provides crucial support to bereaved children of British Armed Forces personnel, while Alabaré offers housing, training, and support for vulnerable veterans and others facing hardship.
“We are incredibly proud to support Chris and Louie in their courageous mission,” said Steve McAllorum, Group MD of Eclipse Magnetics. “This challenge is a true testament to their resilience, and it perfectly aligns with our company’s commitment to championing determination and perseverance. We hope their efforts will inspire others to give generously to these charities, both of which make an immense difference in the lives of veterans and their families.”
Chris Thrall and Louie Greenhalgh are no strangers to adversity. As military veterans, their service has instilled in them the discipline and determination required to face the unforgiving conditions of the Atlantic. Throughout the journey, they will navigate unpredictable weather, physical exhaustion, and the mental strain of isolation as they row through one of the world’s toughest environments.
Oceans Elite Row
The Oceans Elite Row is expected to capture the attention of supporters worldwide, with the team’s dedication to the mission serving as a powerful reminder of what can be achieved through grit, teamwork, and a desire to give back to the community.
For more information about the Oceans Elite Row and to support the cause, visit www.gofundme.com/f/oceanseliterow
BoilerMag has significantly expanded its sales team, driven by rapid sales growth across the UK.
First entering the HVAC industry in 2012, BoilerMag manufactures magnetic filters to prolong the lifespan of boilers and ancillary products, both domestically and industrially, whilst improving boiler efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions.
The business has gone from strength to strength over the past 12 years, with sales now at a record high. As a result, the decision has been taken to expand the sales team to create a strong salesforce to promote the BoilerMag brand and continue the success of the company.
National Sales Manager, Craig Worth, said “It’s fantastic to see the expansion of our BoilerMag sales team which is now seven people strong. Collectively, the new team boasts 185 years of experience in the HVAC market, helping to deliver excellent customer service, and showcasing our ever-increasing product range of water treatment products. This expansion reflects the continued growth of the BoilerMag brand and demonstrates our commitment to further expand our business. I can’t wait to see where the next 12 months takes us!”
Meet the Team
The new team now consists of:
- Craig Worth, National Sales Manager
- Lee Irving, Senior Account Manager
- Craig Finch, Account Manager for the East Midlands & East Anglia regions
- Vince Hall, Account Manager for the South West & South Wales regions
- Chris Nicholson, Account Manager for the South East region
- Adam Armstrong, Account Manager for the Northern region
- Gary Wood, Account Manager for the West Midlands region
Looking To The Future
BoilerMag works with most of the recognised plumbing and heating merchants operating across the UK and globally, ensuring easy access to our domestic and industrial products.
The business has seen record success in recent years, and with this seven-strong sales team now in place, it’s exciting to see the journey continue.
While attending the Screwfix Live show in Farnborough in September, Spear & Jackson UK’s Area Sales Manager Gareth Davies and National Account Manager Matt Williams were lucky enough to meet loyal S&J customer Colin Mitchell who was delighted to tell him about his 100-year-old spade!
Originally owned by his wife’s grandfather, Colin has been using the Spear & Jackson Neverbend Spade personally over 50+ years. Now in their 70’s, Colin and his wife estimate that the spade must be at least 100 years old and is still going strong!
Matt Williams, National Account Manager at Spear & Jackson UK said: “We are delighted that Colin came to chat to us on the stand and even more so that he sent pictures of the spade to us. It’s an amazing story, and incredible that Colin is still using the spade for his gardening today. Not only is the spade ‘Neverbend’; it truly has a lifetime guarantee!”
The S&J Group as a whole is delighted to have launched our Mental Health First Aid Support initiative, which reflects our ongoing commitment to your well-being and creating a supportive environment.
We recognise that mental health is just as important as physical health. Life can be stressful, and whether you’re managing work situations, personal issues, or simply feeling overwhelmed, it’s crucial to have support readily available within the workplace.
Mental Health First Aiders (MHFA) provide support if you or someone you are concerned about are experiencing poor mental health or emotional distress. They are specially trained colleagues who assist you by listening, supporting, and guiding you to further professional resources when needed. They can also support you if you are concerned about someone else and aren’t sure what to do to help them.
Our MHFAs will help foster a safe and open environment where you can feel comfortable reaching out for help whenever you need it. Together we will break down any stigma around Mental Health and encourage all colleagues to seek help. Although MHFAs are not mental health professionals, therapists or counsellors, they will however help you to identify what support is available so that you can access professional services if required.
To contact an MHFA, please look out for the posters on noticeboards and across sites, and in the intranet library. Remember, you can contact any of the MHFAs regardless of which Group business you work in or which site you are based.
