Giving back to the community

Armed Forces personnel have been given a kick-start in careers with the construction industry as part of the Wates Groups pledge to support veterans and ex-service leavers in partnership with Buildforce.

The Wates Group has strengthened its support for the military by signing BuildForce’s Veteran Alliance Charter, designed to support ex-service personnel into sustainable employment in the construction industry.

Havering Volunteer Centre’s Stepping Stones Lunch and Learn programme has celebrated a hugely successful year, with over half of its attendees now in full-time employment.

During National Apprenticeship Week (3-9 February), we want to highlight the wide range of job opportunities available in the built environment.  Hear from some of our apprentices and trainees who are helping to break down the common myths about apprenticeships in construction.

Havering Council and Wates Residential call for local businesses to be part of their ambitious programme to deliver 3,500 high quality homes for local people over the next 12 to 15 years.

A ground-breaking new scheme which offers prisoners paid work on construction sites is helping individuals return to the community and reduce reoffending.

Christmas is a time for families to come together and celebrate, but it is important to remember those who are less fortunate. The Havering Council and Wates Residential joint venture has set out to bring seasonal cheer to the most vulnerable residents in the borough, through a series of festive events and activities.

Young unemployed adults in Havering have been given specialist training to help boost their employment prospects through the borough’s biggest regeneration project.

An incredible £500 has been donated to support Hostel 101 by national developer Wates Residential and its partners at the nearby Daedalus Village housing development, Rund and MD Developments. This will be used to purchase essential items for homeless people in Gosport this winter including water bottles, hygiene products, hats and gloves.

Wates has announced it has surpassed its target of spending £20m through SEs in its supply chain, a goal set four years ago.

New Social Enterprise helps in battle to cut carbon emissions. Wates is the first in the built environment sector to appoint an independent Social Enterprise – Planet First Energy (PFE) – to help it reduce CO2 emissions and meet long-term sustainability goals.

Nikunj Upadhyay, Head of Diversity and Inclusion, was interviewed about how company culture, flexible working and the right environment can be a catalyst for change.

In this blog, John Dunne, Group Safety Health Environment and Quality Director at Wates, outlines why he believes the rise in reported absenteeism due to poor mental health is a positive thing.

Read our response to Inquiry by All Party Parliamentary Group for Excellence in the Built Environment

Wates volunteers spruce up community spaces across Brent for it’s Community and Conservation Week.

More than 80 Havering residents took park in a free training course, providing participants with the support and tools to start a business of their own.

Havering Council is working in partnership with Wates Residential to deliver one of the capital’s biggest regeneration projects over the next 12-15 years.

Fast-forward 10 years and there will be new woodland in Brent after 100 sapling trees were planted in Roundwood Park by Wates Residential volunteers.