AND FINALLY Long service celebrations at Travis Perkins


Builders merchant Travis Perkins has celebrated with two colleagues who have been with the company for 85 years between them. Jim McCarty started working for the company in July 1966 as a 16-year-old and he still works full- time at Travis Perkins’ Trowbridge branch. The company he joined was independent builders’ merchant James Ladd & Sons which was then acquired by Sharpe and Fisher in the late 1980s before it became Travis Perkins in 1999. He says: “The business has just grown and grown throughout my


time with the company, which has taken several different forms over the years. I love coming in every day. We have some great customers in this branch who have been using us for their building materials for years. Coming in and having banter with them every day is part of the reason I still enjoy coming to work. My branch colleagues are great too. I love speaking and interacting with people as much as anything, and that is something the merchanting sector has given me over the years. When I first started as a 16-year- old, I did a lot of the heavy lifting, but now I am older, the rest of the team makes sure they look after me. I have no plans to slow down just yet.”


David Paley joined Travis Perkins Hire, in 2001, at the Durham branch where he was the first branch hire manager in the North East; in 2020, he became branch hire manager at the Burnopfield branch.


He said: “I cannot believe I have


Noah’s Star crowned Selco Community Hero


Selco Builders Warehouse has announced Noah’s Star as the third finalist of its 2026 Community Heroes initiative. The nomination recognises the charity’s dedication and support for families of prematurely born and sick babies across Birmingham.


The charity was selected from amongst the applications from June by a panel including celebrity judge and TV tradesperson, Rob Bent. Noah’s Star has secured £2,000 to spend in its local Selco Builders Warehouse store, and will join seven more finalists selected between April and November 2026 to face a public vote in December to decide the Community Heroes 2026 winner, who will receive £15,000 in cash.


Simon Humpage, head of multichannel marketing at Selco


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Builders Warehouse, said: “The story of Noah’s Star immediately pulled on our heartstrings, and we knew we wanted to support them by crowning them a Selco Community Hero.


“Charities such as Noah’s Star rely on donations to make their spaces more welcoming and functional for users, so we’re pleased to be able to aid them in improving their facilities. We’re proud to now be a part of the work they do and look forward to watching them grow.”


Snickers Workwear names Band of Builders as charity partner


Snickers Workwear has announced a new charity partnership with Band of Builders.


The partnership will see Snickers Workwear and construction charity Band of Builders work together on a range of initiatives designed to raise vital funds and support for construction workers and their families facing challenging circumstances.


The brand will also provide free workwear for hundreds of volunteers as they carry out charity projects across the UK. Through this collaboration Snickers aims to help raise awareness of the issues affecting tradespeople and construction


professionals and address the challenges faced by many workers both on and off site.


Ben Stacey, UK sales manager at Snickers Workwear, comments: “The construction industry is built on teamwork, resilience and looking out for one another. Band of Builders embodies those values every day through the incredible support it provides to people facing difficult circumstances. We are proud to name Band of Builders as our chosen charity and look forward to working together on a range of initiatives that will make a real difference to construction workers and their families.”


www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net August 2026


clocked up 25 years with Travis Perkins. It feels like it was only yesterday when I walked through the door for the first time in the Durham branch. I have been


working in the hire industry for more than 40 years and I have absolutely loved my time with the business. It is a great company to work for.”


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