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Latest News
Special recognition at ‘Women in Construction’ awards
Yorkshire Construction company, one of the Top 100 Small Companies
Another Successful Year for the Southdale Group
Another new appointment at Southdale
Southdale and Circa named in ‘Most Considerate Constructors’ list
Charity Donation goes a long way to help local children’s hospice
Southdale raise thousands for local charity!
Charity run raises thousands for local cause
Southdale amongst Britain’s 100 fastest profit-growth firms!
Southdale named one of the UK's Top Employers
‘Two Star Status’ within Best Companies Accreditation 2007
Putting Yorkshire on the map at CIOB’s Awards
Huddersfield Examiner Business Awards
Special recognition at ‘Women in Construction’ awards
Southdale employee, Jenna Hodgkins received a ‘Highly Commended’ award and special recognition from the judging panel at this years ‘Women in Construction’ awards, which were held at the Mere Golf and Country Club on the 6th March.
Jenna, 22 who is the only female Project Manager at Southdale was delighted to be given a special mention by the judges for her personal and career achievements at Southdale and in the construction industry for a women of such a young age.
Jenna joined Southdale when she was just 16 years old as a Building Technician. Promoted in 2000, Jenna has overall responsibility for total project coordination from concept to completion.
Whilst working at Southdale, Jenna studied day release at College for 4 years to obtain her HNC in Building Studies, and is keen to further her knowledge by studying for a degree, potentially in September 2008.
Jenna is also a fully qualified Eco Homes Assessor and is aiming to become a CDM Co-ordinator later this year. She is also capable of undertaking in-house SAP Assessment calculations for our clients.
Jenna is also mum to 1 year old Esme.
Yorkshire Construction company are one of the Top 100 Small Companies to work for!!
Staff at Halifax based Southdale and Circa Homes were thrilled to learn that their company has been ranked on The Sunday Times 100 Best Small Companies to Work, for the second year running!
The list, which had 868 companies enter and over 180,000 employees surveyed, was published in a supplement in The Sunday Times on Sunday. The construction company was ranked 79th overall. With such a vast number of companies entering, Southdale and Circa have performed exceptionally well to be listed. They are also amongst only five other Yorkshire based companies to make the list, and feature as the only house-builder to rank.
The award also recognises the huge efforts made within the company to provide an outstanding place of work for its employees, and this was reflected in the questionnaire results that were used to rank all of the businesses that entered.
Southdale and Circa Homes are established and well-respected brands in the North of England, with offices in Halifax, Elland and Darlington. Southdale specialise predominantly in the social housing market and create partnerships with local authorities and housing associations. Circa are the private division specialising in bespoke and contemporary new build housing for private sale.
The survey, which was devised by Best Companies, is designed to measure employee engagement and uses a series of questions to gain a comprehensive view of employee engagement across eight factors.
This listing comes as an added bonus to the company after they received a 2 star accreditation for the second year running from Best Companies last month, which acknowledges organisations that provide excellent workplaces, excellent workplace practices, and great leadership as defined by its own employees engagement.
Paul Moore, Managing Director of the Southdale Homes commented:
“We are thrilled at our position on the Top 100 Small Companies to Work for list. Being awarded this accolade two years in a row is absolutely fantastic!
This is an outstanding achievement for the staff and employees at Southdale and Circa. It also reinforces how we operate in business by putting people at the fore front of everything we do, and also highlights what a fantastic workforce we have here”
Another new appointment at Southdale
Christine Wark has joined Southdale Homes as Business Development Manager.
With over twenty six years experience of working within the voluntary housing sector, Christine has worked at a senior level in a range of Development Teams as well of that of Consultant within both national and multi national Consultancy practices providing a range of services to a number of private, public and voluntary sector clients.
Christine will be focussing her future work on the growth of the Southdale Group business and looks forward to forging new relationships meeting clients both old and new.
Well known throughout the industry, Southdale are very excited about Christine’s appointment and she has become part of the team in no time.
Southdale amongst Britain’s 100 fastest profit-growth firms!
Directors and staff at Halifax based Southdale Homes are delighted to be ranked in 35th place out of the Top 100 fastest profit-growth firms in Britain, in a recent Sunday Times ‘Profit Track 100’ publication.
“Having shown an average annual growth in profit of nearly 67% from 2003 we are delighted that the decision to extend our business with the addition of Circa, our private residential division which was established in 2005, really has proven to be a huge success. Circa’s rapid growth in terms of profitability, turnover and more importantly, expertise, identity and geographical coverage, really has boosted our ranking. Southdale Homes continues its success in partnering local housing authorities and associations in regeneration and development projects and reports a very healthy order book to take us into the next financial year. So, I am delighted to report an excellent result all round!” comments Chris Harris, Southdale Group company co-founder and Managing Director.
The company has seen an increase in annual profits from £394,000 in 2003 to £2.8m in 2006 and the company’s plans for further growth are evident with Circa’s current major recruitment drive and plans for a move to much larger premises this Summer.
Southdale and Circa have a strong ethic of ‘putting people first’ and this is not just their customers. Directors believe that an ongoing investment in their employees’ professional and personal development, with continual training and team-working exercises, really does make for a better workplace and, ultimately, a better service and product for their customers and associates. The input the company has made for these schemes seems to have paid off, with a Sunday Times ‘Top 100 Companies to work for’ accolade (where the company ranked 66th out of 100 Best Small Companies to Work for, in the recent 2007 list). In addition, the company also achieved ‘Two Star Status’ within Best Companies Accreditation 2007, this award recognises the huge efforts made within the company to provide an outstanding place of work for its employees. So all in all, the first few months of 2007 have proved outstanding for Southdale and Circa!
Putting Yorkshire on the map at CIOB’s Awards
Yorkshire born and bred Harry Crossland will keep West Yorkshire firmly on the UK construction industry map when he attends the glittering ‘CIOB Construction Manager of the Year Awards ‘06’ as a finalist in the ‘Residential – Less than 30 Units’ category, held in London in October 2006.
Harry, who will be 63 on Christmas day, resides in Normanton and is married with two grown up children. He left school aged 15 and became an apprentice joiner.
On completing his apprenticeship at 21 he then began his career in management at an early age. Harry joined Southdale Homes 7 years ago and during his time with the company has been involved and responsible for many projects for social and residential housing.
Harry successfully managed ‘Chalice Close’ in Belle Isle, Leeds for employer Southdale Homes for the duration of the project. Chalice Close was a re-furbishment project of a number of properties to rent, for partner Jephson Housing Association and the project was successfully concluded in May 2005.
Working closely with Jephson Housing Association, architects Browne Smith Baker and Southdale Homes’ own team of specialists, Harry was ‘at the sharp end’ on location at the site and responsible not only for the success of the actual refurbishment work which required a degree of demolition, upgrades and a complete re-vamp of the area, but also the sensitive task of keeping residents up to date with plans and progress and dealing compassionately with their re-housing during the project. Harry and his team from Southdale were involved in weekly surgeries for the residents to ensure that all lines of communication were fully open.
Harry comments “I am delighted to be chosen as a finalist in the Awards and am really looking forward to the event later in the year, I’m sure that, whatever the outcome, it will be a night to remember!
Huddersfield Examiner Business Awards –
Regeneration Award goes to Southdale Group
Left to right – Moya Jones, Southdale Group; Ken Gillespie of Kirklees Council; Chris Harris, Southdale Group.
The Southdale Group has been building quality homes throughout the north of England for almost 20 years.
Southdale is billed as the region’s largest social housing developer, providing low cost housing for rent and sale for its development partners.
But its award was for the work it has done in Huddersfield – playing a major part in revitalising communities.
Southdale partnered Kirklees Council on a major scheme to revitalise Brackenhall.
Managing Director Chris Harris said: “We are very pleased that we have won, but there are three winners of this award. We want to thank Kirklees Council, who have been our regeneration partner in Deighton and Brackenhall, and also the residents in those areas who have been very much involved in our work and in revitalising the area.”
A Southdale spokesman added: “Southdale Homes has earned a first class reputation with both its client base and the construction industry alike.
This has been achieved by uncompromising quality, operational efficiency and unrivalled customer focus across a continually expanding range of building and development projects throughout Yorkshire and surrounding counties.”
The group looks after its staff through training and development, personal care, pay reviews, a pension scheme, staff discounts and paying attention to the working environment.
As published by the Huddersfield Examiner – Thursday 30th November 2006
Southdale Group were also nominated for ‘Employer of the Year’ award category.
Southdale named as one of the UK's Top Employers
Yorkshire housebuilder Southdale Homes is among the best employers in the UK, according to a respected survey published this week.
The Halifax-based company is ranked 65th in the Sunday Times 100 Best Small Companies to Work For 2005; an annual listing that acknowledges organisations providing a supportive working environment in which employees feel rewarded, appreciated and encouraged to develop.
It is the first time Southdale has been named in the coveted list and the achievement positions the housebuilder as the 8th best company to work for in the North.
Said Southdale Homes managing director, Chris Harris: "We are absolutely delighted with this achievement. Over recent years we have committed to improve on each area of our workplace and the lives of our employees and this has reaped its own rewards, not only with a happier, more motivated team but also in higher numbers of satisfied customers and significantly improved financial performance."
Employees within nominated companies are asked confidential questions covering eight key workplace factors including how they feel about the leadership qualities of management, work life balance, training opportunities, pay and benefits, and the company's commitment to the local community. Short listed organisations may then receive site visits where the workplace is assessed in action.
Southdale Homes, which employs 114 people, scored particularly highly for the caring approach of its management, with 84% of staff feeling well supported by their manager; a top 10 score.
Southdale's commitment to continual improvement helped the company achieve Investors in People accreditation four years ago and since then it has seen turnover increase from £12 to £26 million.
With plans to extend its private housebuilding brand, and an already £30 million strong social housing contract order book which will take the company into new geographical areas such as Lancashire and the North East, 2005 is set to be another important year for the company.
Chris Harris commented: "With over 300 new homes scheduled for this year and exciting ambitions for the re-brand of our private housing division we are entering a new period of planned and dynamic growth. Our staff will play a vital role in the success of these plans and with their ongoing help and enthusiasm we aim to continue the company's growth."
Southdale Homes has been awarded with a prestigious ‘Two Star Status’ within Best Companies Accreditation 2007.
Southdale’s board of directors are proud to have achieved ‘Two Star Status’ within Best Companies Accreditation 2007, the award recognises the huge efforts made within the company to provide an outstanding place of work for its employees.
Moya Jones and Beverley Robinson receive 2 Star Best Companies Award for Southdale.
Southdale Homes is an established and well-respected brand in West Yorkshire. They specialise predominantly in creating partnerships with local authorities and housing associations to create new communities, and whilst many building companies may not even employ someone to deal with Human Resources, presumably because this industry tends to consider HR as a ‘soft issue’, Southdale take a very different view and ensures that their Human Resources Manager, Beverley Robinson, plays a key role in the company’s internal structure. Bev believes whole-heartedly that obtaining the “buy in” from staff and empowering them to control the development of the company ensures the company’s future success. “ We are facing another year of growth at Southdale, with opportunities for promotion, bringing in new talent and enabling personal career development.” Comments Bev. “The success of the business has been enabled due to the culture of working together and engaging staff. We created rewards that were regarded as motivational for all departments, not just sales, and so reinforced the importance of the company’s success in other areas such as customer care and health & safety. Our belief that staff training directly affects the bottom line may be a little unusual within our industry, but it is fundamental in our ongoing commitment to investing in training at all levels throughout the business.”
In 2007, 434 organisations registered to go for ‘Star Status’, and since September over 100,000 employees from these organisations have been surveyed.
In total 273 oranisations achieved ‘Star Status’, with only 107 organisations in the UK recognised with Two Star Status, amongst these was Southdale Homes.
The Best Companies survey is designed to measure employee engagement and uses 70 questions to gain a comprehensive view of employee engagement across eight factors. Every company that goes for Best Companies Accreditation is given a Best Companies Index Score (BCI). This score (on a scale of 1 to 1000) is defined from employees’ responses to the sixteen key questions within the Best Companies survey. ‘Star Status’ is determined by the ‘BCI’ score and the specific cut-off points for One, Two and Three Star Accreditation remain constant year on year.
The accreditation follows a ‘Michelin style’ star system of one star being first class, two stars being outstanding, rising to three stars being extraordinary. The scheme acknowledges and rewards organisations that provide excellent workplaces, excellent workplace practices, and great leadership as defined by its own employees.
Beverley Robinson, HR Manager and Moya Jones, Sales & Marketing Director were invited to receive the award at a celebration event of Best Companies Accreditation which took place at The Berkeley Hotel, Knightsbridge, London at the end of January.
“Southdale Homes’ 2007 accreditation is an outstanding achievement. It confirms their commitment to the on-going journey of workplace engagement. Our role is to set a rigorous benchmark so that organizations can become even better employees.” commented Jonathan Austin, Chief Executive of Best Companies.
So with a full order book for the next financial year, many exciting new projects around the North of England and a motivated and engaged workforce, things are really looking good in the Southdale camp.
Charity run raises thousands for local cause
Southdale Homes got their running and walking shoes on last weekend to attempt the 12 mile Southdale Mini Challenge as part of the local, South Pennine Challenge. The challenge, which is organised by local charity, The Community Foundation for Calderdale, took in some rough terrain and began at Mytholmroyd Community Centre, and ended some 12 miles later at the White House public house in Blackstone Edge.
A group of staff members from Southdale walked the course with other members of the public, but their ambitious Managing Director, Paul Moore set himself a tough challenge of running the course in under 2 hours! Sponsorship bids flooded in from friends, colleagues, sub-contractors and suppliers of Southdale in support of Paul’s attempt, and we can reveal that he completed the course just in the nick of time, in 1 hour 58 minutes. Paul commented
Southdale raises thousands for local charity!
Southdale Homes and Circa hosted their first annual ‘Charity Summer Ball’ at Bertie’s Banqueting Suites in Elland on Saturday 9th June. The dinner dance event was held in aid of local charity ‘The West Yorkshire Forget Me Not Trust’. Southdale enlisted the help of renown compere and comedian, Malcolm Lord to host the event, adding his usual impeccable comic timing to act as master of ceremony. Many of Southdale’s Directors, employees, sub contractors and consultants attended the event, bringing along friends and family to join the evening and danced the night away to the Fabulous BB Kings.
Mandy Barwick, fundraising manager for the Forget Me Not Trust was also invited to say a few words on behalf of the Trust, which really touched those in attendance.
Chris Harris, Managing Director for Circa commented:
"The main aim of the evening was to raise as much money as we could for The Forget Me Not Trust, and for everyone to have a great time. Through the generosity of all in attendance, and kind donations from our sub contractors and consultants, we have managed to raised over £4,500 for the Trust by hosting an auction and a raffle. This is a fantastic achievement, and one we are really proud of”
Another Successful Year for the Southdale Group
Yorkshire based construction company, The Southdale Group has seen impressive growth of 21% in the last year alone, with turnover hitting £47 million. This news comes after the publication of their Report & Accounts for the financial year 2006/2007.
The Group, which is made up of Halifax based social housing construction partner Southdale Homes and Elland based private developer Circa, is set for further growth over the next few years in moving towards their goal of £100 million turnover by 2010.
The Report & Accounts reports on the successes the Group has had over the last year. The ‘tip of the iceberg’ saw the company opening its brand new North East Regional Office in Darlington to facilitate forthcoming projects within the area. Other successes include an array of national awards including being placed in the ‘Sunday Times 100 Best Small Companies to work for’ list, ‘Best Companies 2 star employers accreditation’, ‘Most Considerate Public and Private Housing Contractor’ award and ‘Sunday Times Profit Track 100’ list to name but a few.
The growth of the Group is largely due to the addition of the Circa division back in 2005. Circa’s rapid growth has been seen in terms of profitability, turnover and more importantly a strong contemporary brand and increased geographical coverage which has boosted their financial status. With sites in areas including Huddersfield, Sheffield, Barnsley and Darlington, Circa has certainly made its mark on the Northern Housing market.
Southdale have continued their success in partnering local housing authorities and associations in regeneration and development projects with an expanding geographical spread. Last year saw them moving further into the North East and North West social housing markets.
Southdale have also made sure they have the ability to adopt the environmental principles of the Governments ‘Code for Sustainable Homes’ into their building and design work at an early stage. The Code has been introduced by the Government, who has issued a challenge that by 2016 all new homes will have to be carbon neutral as part of it’s climate change mitigation goal to achieve a 60% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050 relative to 1990 levels.
And with the announcement from the Government at the opening of parliament last month of further investment in providing more affordable housing in the North of England, Southdale are positioned for a growing and strong future.
Charity Donation goes a long way to help local children’s hospice
Southdale Homes and Circa held their AGM at Pontefract Races on Tuesday 10th July, and were pleased to invite along representatives from local charity ‘The West Yorkshire Forget Me Not Trust’ to present them with a cheque for £10,000.
The Trust are trying to raise funds to build and fund a children’s hospice in the Calderdale area, and is very close to the hearts of the Southdale and Circa staff.
The presentation came after the companies ‘adopted’ the Trust as their charity for the year 2006/2007. Funds were raised by staff throughout the year via donations and raffles, then culminated in an extravagant Summer Ball which was held in June at Bertie’s Banqueting Suites in Elland. The ball alone raised over £4,500.
Geoff Firth, Chair of the Trustees at the Forget Me Not Trust and his wife Patricia gladly accepted the cheque on behalf of the Trust from Southdale’s H.R Manager, Bev Robinson. In his acceptance speech, Geoff also proudly announced that the Trust had finally received Planning Permission from Kirklees Council to build the children’s hospice on some land in the Brackenhall area of Huddersfield – an area that Southdale and Circa have heavily involved in the redevelopment of housing.
Geoff commented: “We are delighted to accept this cheque from Southdale and Circa. It is through generosity such as this that we are able to raise the money we need to build the children’s hospice to Calderdale and Kirklees. We still have a long way to go, but donations like this take us one step closer to our target”
Southdale and Circa named in ‘Most Considerate Constructors’ list
It is the third award for the Group this year, having been awarded ‘Two Star Status’ within the ‘Best Companies Accreditation 2007’ and most recently named in the Sunday ‘Times Top 100 Small Companies to work for’ list.
The Considerate Constructor’ awards scheme, now in its tenth year, has several categories, all honouring considerate construction companies for their commitment to the highest standards.
Southdale Homes have received a ‘highly commended’ award in the ‘most considerate public housing contractor’ category, and Circa received the same accolade in the ‘most considerate private housing contractor’ . Theses prizes are recognition that the house builder scored extremely highly in the 40 or more visits carried out on their various sites around their regions.
Organisers of the award held a celebratory dinner at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London which was attended by 400 guests from the construction industry. Paul Moore, Managing Director of Southdale Homes said upon receiving the award, ‘it really is a fantastic accolade; as a company we strive for the highest possible standards and we’re delighted that this has been recognised.’ Chris Harris, Managing Director of Circa added further comment: ‘Considerate Constructors are very important to us as a Group and it is great that we have been recognised with these two fantastic awards. It is thanks to great teamwork from all of our staff that we have been able to achieve this’
The award comes as Southdale and Circa’s Directors have proved that their strong ethic of ‘putting people first’ pays off. At the companies, they believe the staff are just as important as their customers and they make considerable and ongoing investment in their employees’ professional and personal development. These practices, which include training and team-working exercises, really do make for a better workplace and ultimately a better product and service for their customers and associates.
And with an ever expanding array of awards, proving the Group’s status within the construction industry, it is surely only a matter of time before a bigger trophy cabinet is needed!