The SCR Chambers: Barnsley & Rotherham


Gala Tent announces growth as demand for marquees rises


growth during uncertain times, has once again exceeded their predicted sales figures in 2021 by posting a massive 400% growth for the month of March. This comes off the back of an impressive 91% growth for Q1. Facing the lockdown 12 months ago, when the


S


vast majority of the company’s usual market sectors were forced into extended closure, CEO Jason Mace refused to be beaten by uncertainty. He recalls March 2020 clearly. “When the Government announced they had shut down the event industry in March, I stood on the shop floor informing my staff that we would have to close, and many of them would be furloughed. One of the first questions I was asked, was ‘will the company survive? Will we have jobs to come back to?’ I told my team yes, 100%. I predicted that a large order would land with us before long and it would kickstart our survival. A complete restructure was actioned, and new markets were targeted. It was a long and hard slog for those who remained on the team to bring the company back on track, but we did it.” “A complete change of direction was


outh Yorkshire marquee and gazebo manufacturer and retailer, Gala Tent, which defied the odds in 2020 to post


‘A complete change of


direction was structured’


hope in dark times. In June, the company’s


fortunes began to show real


signs of recovery, with staff being recalled from furlough to manage the


structured, and all of the management team, me included, were picking and packing in the warehouse to send out what orders we were scraping together.” Indeed, Jason’s prediction was proven correct,


and April produced an order for almost £100,000, supplying the emergency services with much needed tents for testing stations, as well as a high-profile contract to supply the NHS Nightingale Hospital in Birmingham, and from here, the company began to see glimmers of


increase of demand and by July they had recalled 100% of staff and were proudly able to boast zero job losses from the effects of the pandemic as a phenomenal summer capped a remarkable turnaround of fortunes for the Rotherham-based company. Marketing Manager Ryan Bracha said: “Right


at the start, we knew there would have to be a boom of some sort when it was all over, but we didn’t predict exactly how quickly or how hard it might come. We didn’t waste a single minute of the first lockdown, everything we did was with a view to improving everything we do. We were determined to become a stronger and more resilient team, and all-round better at everything


when things came back to normal. Jason set up daily video calls between us all to push us on and encouraged us to actively participate in the company improvement processes. Some of us had to perform the roles of three or four people at times, and now we’re sitting on the results of that effort with pride that we’re better placed to succeed than ever before.” Sales Manager Darren Perry said: “During the


lockdown everyone was working from home, and because of the SOTpay payment system we use, we didn’t jeopardise a single customer’s card details in that time, where others perhaps failed. The majority of the team continues to work from home, and homeworking has genuinely improved our team’s morale and productivity. We have twice-weekly video conferences where everybody can make suggestions to improve the business and our processes and feel like they remain a valued part of our continuing success.”


Unique opportunity for Kickstarter Ellie


Unique School Solutions have taken on their first employee through the Government funded kickstart scheme. Ellie Lavery will be stepping into the role of Recruitment Administrator. Her role is to make sure that their unique


process flows easily and ensure that candidates have the best experience possible. Ellie said: ‘‘I believe that the most important


part of my job is to make sure all candidates are fully compliant and are ready to jump straight into their role. The team at unique are amazing to work with, so inviting and welcoming from day one. I love working with a forward thinking and progressive team that really want to make a difference in the recruitment industry.” Ellie will work alongside the rest of the team


at Unique to reach their goal, to provide support and improve access to high quality


educational staff. They hope to extend their large network across South Yorkshire to promote Safe and Fair recruitment. Rebecca Dodd, Director, said: “We are


thrilled to welcome Ellie into our team, we are passionate about supporting young people in our community. Already Ellie has fit straight into our team.”


As the education sector begins to rebuild


and evolve due the challenges faced throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, Unique are focused on relieving as much stress as possible through supporting and aiding schools. Unique recently introduced their Covid


Response Team to help schools throughout the pandemic. They’re keen to introduce their distinctive


approach to education recruitment, which is structured to benefit schools and trusts. Their 12-week model allows schools to assess new members of staff and ensure the right decision is made every time. For Unique School Solutions, the ultimate


The team at Unique School Solutions


goal is to connect high-quality teachers, teaching assistants, support staff and other educational professionals with schools that match their culture and personality.


Spring 2021 CHAMBERconnect 33


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