Introduction
Giving back to the community in which we work, live and enjoy is so important to us at OFP. We actively want to make our community a better place for the people and our team.
There are so many ways that businesses can give back to the community, including charity events, sponsorships, and so on. Not only does it help local businesses and people, but it also helps to boost morale within our team and facilitate networking and building connections. For OFP, it goes one step further. We really want to integrate into the local communities and positively impact the businesses and people around us, not only for now but also in the future.
We have recently hosted and participated in various activities within our community; here is a round-up of our efforts in the first quarter of 2024.
Pictured: Royal Engineers’ recent visit to OFP Timber Frame Facilities.
Supporting the Delivery of T-Levels at EKC Broadstairs
OFP are committed to helping the next generation to learn and grow, so after many discussions and planning with Broadstairs College, OFP are working closely with the college to help deliver T-Levels.
This partnership between OFP and Broadstairs College offers an incredible opportunity for students to gain invaluable knowledge of working in a dynamic workplace. It helps guide them through their education by offering the power of real hands-on learning.
We have hosted five students over the past 3 months, and now, entering into month four, the students are fully integrated with OFP Timber Frame.
Hear from the students:
Evie Andrassy – 1st year student – Production department:
“I’m currently working in the production team at OFP Timber. It has been a great experience where I have learnt many new things and met lots of great people. This whole experience has helped me to learn what it’s like to work in the real world and is contributing lots to further my knowledge in this industry. The work placement fits in well with my course and has given me the opportunity to refine the skills I use within my lessons”.
Molly Bell – 2nd year student – Human Resources/Health and Safety/Compliance department:
“My first few weeks at OFP Timber Frame as a T-level student were both informative, and educational. I experienced and observed different types of strategies, methods, and behaviours when learning about Human Resources and the importance the sector is to the organisation. I was taught how to both handle different types of employee queries, and other aspects such as disciplinary’s, appraisals, recruitment, and much more.
The experience here is extremely beneficial when linking back to my college work and using real life experience I have acquired in the workplace to my college work has pushed my grades to a higher level and it has pushed me to strive to achieve”.
Morgan Banning – 1st Year student – Design department:
“On my first day at OFP I was introduced to tasks I never knew existed in the design industry. And I loved it, I did lots of new things I never did before, everything was new, and I (personally) found that really interesting, and that was my first day. As I came in to work more and more, I understood my role at OFP. The people I work with, Henry, Jack and Craig are really good at teaching me what I should do, and they are a blast to talk to. As I do more of my work at college, I see how everything correlates with what I do. Like for example, Gantt charts. The very day after I learnt about Gantt charts at college I was in work and was given work to do with Gantt charts. So as time goes on, I am sure I will see more of it”.
Sponsorship of Ash Rugby Football Club
We are proud sponsors of Margate Football Club and also Ash RFC. Our very own factory foreman, Dan Norman, plays for Ash Rugby team, and the team made it to the Salver Cup Final 2024, which is taking place on 28th April.
It is very important to us that we support Dan and the rest of the OFP team in their hobbies and passions outside of work. Not only does it help boost our employees’ morale, but it also helps the rest of the football team feel supported and encouraged by the businesses and people around them.
Open Day at EKC Broadstairs
OFP Health and Safety Supervisor & Head of Human Resources, Richard Pankhurst, recently attended EKC Broadstairs College for their open day.
As previously mentioned, we have been working closely with EKC Broadstairs in recent months to deliver T-Levels. So, we were delighted to attend their open day and showcase the work we have been doing with EKC Broadstairs College to prospective students.
Richard attended the event along with Evie, one of our T-Level students, so that she could talk to her fellow students about what she is doing on her placement with us.
Royal Engineers Visit
In March 2024, OFP Timber Frame hosted Clerk of Works Construction students from the Royal School of Military Engineering and staff from MKC Training.
We delivered an informative presentation at OFP headquarters in Kent on the benefits of timber frame construction, followed by a tour of our factory facilities to showcase the production process as well as our sustainability efforts. In the afternoon, we took the students to some of our construction sites to see the application of our products and services on site, which helped bring everything we discussed that day to life.
Paul Sheehan, Lecturer at MKC Training, shares:
“This visit engaged the students in the sustainable world of timber framed buildings and they had a very positive learning experience.”
Student Feedback:
“I was thoroughly impressed! The staff were incredibly knowledgeable about timber products, their use in construction, and changes that would impact their business and the use of timber for building.”
“The extended visit to a local construction site where OFP timber products are being used was superb, it really brought to life the use of timber in construction and the OFP representative was able to explain each element and its purpose in the building and construction process.”
ESG Panel Discussion as Part of a Local Networking Group
Finally, in April 2024, OFP Executive Director, Alex Leroy, joined a recent panel discussion at Innovative Networking to discuss sustainability in business, particularly within the construction industry.
Alex was also joined by Danielle Ward, Founder of ReWard, Andrew Stevens, Corporate Sustainability Manager at P&O Ferries and Lydia McKeown, Director of I Do Marketing, who has helped numerous businesses with successfully marketing their ESG activities. By joining with the other local businesses in the area to discuss the evergrowing topic of sustainability, we can help to share ideas, brainstorm and work together to be more environmentally friendly in our processes and procedures.
Speaking at the event, Alex says, “For every cubic metre of timber used instead of a steel, concrete or plastic build product, we save 2 tonnes of CO2. We buy all our timber as PEFC and FSC chain of custody certified – meaning all is responsibly and sustainably sourced.
In addition, our factory has been designed to be as sustainable as possible – we pellet our waste sawdust to fuel our biomass boiler, we finger-joint waste timber into new running lengths, we have water interceptors to protect the local environment, we have 50kW of solar arrays on our roof, our offices have modern insulation, double glazing and natural ventilation throughout and we have achieved an Energy Rating B.”
Read more about OFP’s ESG strategy: https://ofptimberframe.com/environmental-sustainable-and-governance/
Onto Quarter 2!
In the first quarter of 2024, OFP were very active within the local community by attending open days, hosting students, welcoming royal engineers, participating in panel discussions and more. It is really important to us that we positively impact everyone we meet and the environment in which we conduct business for now and in the future.
For more information on us, visit our website or contact us directly:
Contact
T: 01304 613298
E: info@ofptimberframe.com