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| CORGI FINDS THE BEST INSTALLERS IN THE COUNTRY |
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| Date:
08/07/05 |
Author:
Eve Cooper |
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The CORGI gas installers of the year were crowned last month in a glittering ceremony hosted by award-winning comedian.
CORGI, the gas safety watchdog, hand picked a shortlist of finalists from the general public nominations.
When working with gas, it is essential that installers are professional, if they get it wrong it can have devastating results. 30 people a year die in the UK as a result of faulty gas appliances, and hundreds more are hospitalised. For every cowboy there are hundreds of reliable, hard working and trustworthy workers out there. Those that go out of their way to make sure the job is done to the best of their ability, on time and to budget. The CORGI Awards reward those who have excellent time keeping, leave houses clean and in order, and never overcharge.
The CORGI awards are here to quash the notoriously bad reputation of the nation’s tradesmen. Countless TV programmes have named and shamed cowboy builders who beg, borrow and steal from honest homeowners but these are the minority, as the awards show.
The Installer of the Year award was broken into three categories – based on the size of the business.
Installer of the Year – large business
T.A. Horn from Barnet in Hertfordshire
TA Horn was nominated by a customer who was particularly impressed by the high standard of this company’s work and the professional approach of its staff. The company specialises in social housing projects and employ 65 gas operatives, 10% of whom are female.
Installer of the Year – medium-sized business
Fieldings from Blackpool
Fieldings was described by it’s customers as ‘an excellent business’ … ‘second to none’ … performing ‘above and beyond’ what other installers would normally do.
A high commendation from the judges was awarded to Heatwise from Fylde in Lancashire.
Installer of the Year – small business
Bond Heating and Plumbing Engineers, Kevin Bond from Bristol
Kevin Bond impressed the judges with the consistency of the positive comments from his customers.
There were two high commendations awarded to the ‘Gasman’, run by Ron Brook, and ‘Blue Flame Heating’ or Andy Wilkinson.
Other awards presented included:
Gas Safety Initiative of the Year.
London Borough of Hackney Trading Services
The local authority team developed a powerful campaign to increase access to properties to ensure that it could meet is obligations under gas safety regulations. The results were impressive, with access gained increasing from 80 … to 99.9%.
The judges awarded a high commendation to the Housing Landlord Services Business Unit at Bournemouth Council.
Contribution to Gas Safety
The President of Co-Gas Safety - Stephanie Trotter
Stephanie has personally lobbied tirelessly for changes in the industry - and is the hard-working president of an independent charity committed to reducing accidents from carbon monoxide and other gas dangers, as well as supporting victims of gas-related accidents.
Apprentice of the Year
Maria O’Brien and Leon Stobbs
Maria O’Brien from the College of North West London decided to retrain as a gas installer in her thirties - after developing an interest in the building trades when she began to renovate a flat in her spare time. Her employer says she’s extremely hard working and already very knowledgeable. She has a terrific attitude to her job and never ceases to amaze her colleagues with here tireless enthusiasm.
Leon Stobbs from Burnley College is a young man who’s progressed from a scheme for school leavers’ in an economically disadvantaged area, through his foundation certificate to City & Guilds NVQ Level 2, to his Level 3 Plumbing studies. His lecturer called him ‘a role model for others his age and proof that it’s not where you start, it’s where you finish’.
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