DORSET BUSINESS FOCUS / NEWS
New workplace support put in place To support employees in workplaces across Dorset through the Coronavirus Pandemic, Dorset Mind has created a suite of bespoke services to support the wellbeing of employers, employees (and their children where applicable) and reduce presenteeism. Dorset Mind believe this will help reduce the economic impact of the response to COVID-19. It’s important to Dorset Mind that they help support employers and employees: • Through periods of sickness and absence • Through periods of self-isolation • Through office lock-downs • When their children are out of school and at home All of the services they offer are designed to meet the changing needs of your workplace, and ensure you can all thrive at work – whatever work might look like. Importantly, these services are designed to take pressure off your HR and EAPs (if you have them), who are no doubt experiencing an uplift in need. They also take into account the inevitable wider challenges that employees will be facing out of the workplace. Dorset Mind will support employees through these challenges, so they can thrive when at work. Dorset Mind will seek to: • Support yours and your employees’ general mental health; to support wellbeing at work • Best equip your employees to support their children (if applicable) with the change in routine presented through periods out of school • Provide access to support for those with pre-existing mental health conditions, when surgeries and CMHTs may be under strain How do they plan to do this? • Regular employee 1-2-1 video and telephone wellbeing check-ins, with education about working productively and maintaining mental health through the challenges presented in the Coronavirus outbreak • Webinars to help people cope with anxiety and depression • Webinars to educate employees who are also parents with tools to support their children’s mental health If you would like to find out more visit their website dorsetmind.uk more news online - www.dorsetchamber.co.uk/news
Suttles’ Swanworth solar system IN A bid to reduce Suttle Stone Quarries’ carbon footprint and energy costs, Swanworth Quarry’s workshop has recently undergone installation of photovoltaic (PV) solar panel system supported by Low Carbon Dorset and installed by Wessex Eco Energy. Throughout the year when solar radiation is produced (not just in bright sunlight), the panels will generate electricity to provide power for the workshop, security and any fixed electrical systems within the quarry. Importantly it will also help to power the quarry’s 160kW crusher motor which was upgraded to electric from diesel back in 2014, significantly reducing bills and some reliance of fossil fuel energy sources. The system, which has a capacity of around 49kWp (Kilowatt peak of a system), has been part funded by Low Carbon Dorset as part of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and will save around 25 tonnes of CO2 per year. This along with an ever-increasing fleet of electric and hybrid vehicles means the company is estimated to be saving in the region of 60 tonnes of CO2 emissions combined. Suttles Stone Quarries began working on the project in the latter part of 2019 and was approved for the grant from Low Carbon Dorset in time for work to be ultimately completed in October. The process, which included numerous site visits from Low Carbon Dorset’s Renewable Energy Technical Officer, Dr Derek Moss, was concluded with a feasibility study and application for £16,693 of grant funding. Once the supplier was selected and the grant was officially awarded, Suttles were able to instruct Wessex
Eco Energy to complete the works. In October, over the course of a week, 120 Canadian Solar 405w PV panels were expertly and neatly installed onto the workshop roof. John Suttle commented on the project’s completion; ‘I was really impressed with the professionalism and speed of the installation by Wessex Eco Energy and I think Low Carbon Dorset are doing a great job in helping to fund projects like this. I think that every business that is suitable for solar or other renewable energy generation and efficiencies should be applying and hope that Low Carbon Dorset continue to be able to provide funding in future.’ In the coming years it is hoped that a decision on an extension to quarrying at Swanworth will mean that Suttles can extend to a larger solar system that could entirely power activities on site and give scope to more electric vehicle charging. Nonetheless, after a lot of research and determination a low carbon vision is slowly becoming a reality and Suttles aim to roll out such technologies throughout other parts of the business. Suttle Stone Quarries is a well-established local business based in Purbeck and Poole, Dorset. As well as operating two quarries and an aggregate sales and recycling depot, the company runs a fleet of modern tipper lorries for delivery of stone, aggregates and associated products as well as collection of inert wastes such as concrete and soils for the recycling facility for more information visit; www.suttles.co.uk 45
