SECTOR NEWS
BELL GROUP TRAINEE CROWNED APPRENTICE DECORATOR OF THE YEAR
BELL GROUP’S GATIS Celmins has emerged as winner of the 2019 Apprentice Decorator of the Year competition after a gruelling three-day contest hosted at the WorldSkills UK live event at Birmingham’s NEC. The Inverness College UHI apprentice triumphed over
eight other finalists thanks to the quality of his careful setting out and excellent time management, completing the complex design set by competition sponsor Crown Paints to an exceptionally high standard. Gatis had impressed the judges with his attention to
detail and good brushwork in the regional heats earlier this year, but the final required a step up from all competitors, as well as the ability to deal with the pressure-cooker environment of the packed NEC conference hall, with lots of noise and potential distractions all around. He was joined on the podium by silver medallist Lewis
Metcalfe and bronze medallist Abi Johnson (winner a the 2018 PDA Trophy Awards Apprentice title), both of whom studied at Leeds College of Building and are employed by another PDA Member firm, Bagnalls. In the final, the competitors had 18 hours over three days to complete the decorating challenge devised by
Crown Paints, which was a celebration of the company’s 40-year sponsorship of the Apprentice Decorator of the Year competition and featured metallic paint as well as a complex multi-coloured streamer effect, half of which the finalists had to paint freehand. Gatis said, “Reaching the final meant a great deal to me,
and I’m happy to have achieved one of my goals. I'm very proud of myself to be an Apprentice Decorator of the Year winner - it’s proof that hard work pays off.” Bell Group director, Colin Cochrane commented, “We
are very proud of Gatis’s achievements and are pleased to see his dedication and skill being recognised.
Competitions like the Apprentice Decorator of the Year serve greatly in motivating apprentices even further, who bring great value to our business and are a significant part of our success. “We believe today’s apprentices will shape our future
industry and are fundamental in addressing the skills shortage in the sector.”
For more information about Crown stockists please visit
www.crowntrade.co.uk You can also follow @CrownTradePaint on Twitter and CrownTradePaint on Facebook
Top tips to secure your van
n Park in well-lit areas or car parks with CCTV or alternatively position your van so that the doors are blocked by another vehicle or object
n Window guards or full internal bulkheads can stop would-be thieves seeing inside
n Adding security film to the side or back window glass can stop criminals smashing it
n Fitting additional locks to rear and sliding doors can help deter thieves
STOLEN VANS HIT RECORD HIGH UK THEFTS UP 45% IN LAST FOUR YEARS
Van theft across the UK has soared over the last four years with 30,000 vehicles stolen since 2015, according to research conducted by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. A total of 32,056 vans have been stolen over the last four years with almost 10,000
thefts recorded across the UK in the last year alone, according to official police statistics. The 2018/19 figures represent a year-on-year rise of 4% and a 45% increase since 2015/16. Of the 9,371 van thefts reported in the past 12 months, the Metropolitan Police recorded more than half of the total with 4,777 commercial vehicles stolen. The biggest yearly increase in thefts was reported in Leicestershire with ten times
32
more vans stolen in 2018/19 than records for the year before. Van thefts in North Wales doubled while West Yorkshire police records show a 67% rise. In fact, West Yorkshire was the second highest overall (931 thefts), followed by the West Midlands (409), Essex (387) and Leicestershire (377).
n Invest in lockable internal racking or secure storage boxes for your most valuable tools
n Fitting a tracker can help police hunt down the van if it is stolen plus it may reduce your insurance premium
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is advising van owners and fleet managers to
ensure their vehicles are fitted with the latest anti-theft devices as well as remembering to remove expensive tools from vehicles at night. David Hanna, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Head of Service and Parts
Operations said, “Our most recent findings are concerning as it reveals that the problem of van theft is getting worse rather than better – and it’s a problem right across the country. Vans are the lifeblood of so many businesses up and down the country and it’s not only the emotional stress of replacing the vehicle but also the days and weeks of letting customers down and the cost of replacing tools, often worth thousands of pounds, before you can get back to ‘business as usual’.” For more on Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ visit
www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk
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