Brickworth Quarry’s commitment to Restoration Blossoms with 6,000 New Trees and Shrubs

A photograph, captured by one of our dedicated staff members at Brickworth Quarry, depicts the positive strides taken toward environmental restoration at Brickworth Quarry.  Following the extraction of sand and backfilling with inert material in Phases 1 and 2, the Brickworth Quarry team carefully laid PAWS (Plantation on Ancient Woodland Sites) soil as per the guidelines outlined in the approved planning permission.  These two phases, along with Round Copse North, were then planted with approximately 6,000 trees and shrubs.

This concerted effort has resulted in the transformation of these areas, including a part of Round Copse North, into lush green spaces adorned with trees and shrubs. The species planted include:

Trees:
Oak
Hornbeam
Sweet Chestnut
Beech

Shrubs:
Field Maple
Common Alder
Hazel
Hawthorn
Guelder Rose

These trees and shrubs not only enhance the local ecosystem but also stand as a testament to the team’s commitment to environmental sustainability and responsible land restoration.

Raymond Brown Quarry Products awarded Bronze reaccreditation under the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS)

Raymond Brown Quarry Products Ltd has again been awarded the Bronze accreditation under FORS.
The accreditation follows an extensive re-approval audit which ensures we meet the strict criteria set out by the FORS standards which encompass all aspects of safety, efficiency, and environmental protection. Thank you to all staff, particularly the Transport Team for their help in maintaining our high standards and their dedication to the safety and effective monitoring of efficiency.

FORS is a voluntary accreditation scheme for fleet operators. It aims to improve standards within fleet operations and demonstrate which operators are achieving exemplary levels of best practice in safety, efficiency and environmental protection.

Raymond Brown supports Whiteparish Cricket Club

Earlier this year, Raymond Brown Quarry Products Ltd made a donation to Whiteparish Cricket Club, which is located closely to Brickworth Quarry. This donation was aimed at supporting the club’s efforts in acquiring new youth equipment and establishing a patio area.

We are pleased to learn that the final project has now been completed and Rudo Wormgoor from the Whiteparish Cricket Club said: “We are delighted to have raised enough money for an extensive new patio area that wraps around the whole building, picket fence, planted area, new chairs, new benches and new signage which makes this feel more like a cricket viewing area. Thank you to Raymond Brown for your support.”

Black Swans pay a visit to Roke Manor Quarry

Some rare black swans visited us at Roke Manor Quarry in Romsey.  Black swans, native to Australia and rarely spotted in the UK, are large waterfowl species recognised by their black coloration and distinctive red beaks.  Thank you to Andrew Willis, Quarry Supervisor, and Nick Crouch, Plant Operator for capturing them.

Raymond Brown Quarry Products wins internationally recognised health and safety accolade for 14th year from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA)

We are delighted to announce that Raymond Brown Quarry Products Ltd has won a RoSPA President’s (14 consecutive Golds) Award, demonstrating its commitment to health and safety excellence and dedication to ensuring its staff, customers, clients and contractors get home safely at the end of every working day.

The RoSPA Health and Safety Awards is the largest occupational health and safety awards programme in the UK. Now into its 67th year, the Awards have almost 2,000 entries every year, covering nearly 50 countries and a reach of over seven million employees. The programme recognises organisations’ commitment to continuous improvement in the prevention of accidents and ill health at work, looking at entrants’ overarching health and safety management systems, including practices such as leadership and workforce involvement.

Julia Small, RoSPA’s Achievements Director, said: “Accidents at work and work-related ill health don’t just have huge financial implications or cause major disruption – they significantly impact an individual’s quality of life. That’s why good safety performance deserves to be recognised and rewarded.

“We are thrilled that Raymond Brown Quarry Products Ltd have won a RoSPA Award and would like to congratulate them on showing an unwavering commitment to keeping their employees, clients and customers safe from accidental harm and injury.”

Sponsored by Croner-i, the RoSPA Awards scheme is the longest-running of its kind in the UK, and receives entries from organisations across the globe, making it one of the most sought-after achievement awards for the health and safety industry.

Lifesaving Defibrillators now available across all Raymond Brown Sites

We are pleased to announce that the Raymond Brown Group has installed defibrillators across all sites, including quarries, IBA processing facilities and the head office in Chandler’s Ford.

An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a lifesaving device that can help someone experiencing a sudden cardiac arrest by delivering an electric shock.

The new ZOLL AED Plus Fully Automatic Defibrillators were purchased from St John Ambulance and provide access to potentially lifesaving equipment for staff, visitors to our sites and the local community.

Steven Laight, Group HSQE Manager commented: “The well-being and safety of our employees, visitors, and the communities in which we work has always been our priority.  The implementation of the defibrillators was an outcome of our staff suggestion program, and we are delighted that each of our sites now has its own fully automatic defibrillator.  These are a great additional measure in protecting the health of our teams and can be shared with the local community as they are registered on the national defibrillator network.”

Raymond Brown Group sites take part in another successful ‘Stop for Safety’ Event

All Raymond Brown Group sites took part in a group-wide ‘Stop for Safety’ event on Tuesday 3rd January 2023.

The site management and site teams are well versed in Stop for Safety and the event sees all plant operations temporarily stopping to allow safe access for our staff to walk around in teams to spot hazards, safety concerns and improvement ideas. Actions are then fed back to the team to ensure continual improvement.

Steven Laight, HSQE Manager commented: “Thank you to all the site teams for their participation again, we have had some really positive feedback and ideas across all our sites this year.  These events help set the tone for a positive HSQE culture and eliminate/reduce risks and hazards from our sites.”

Unveiling of the Binnegar Operational Base (OB) Memorial Benches

A ribbon cutting ceremony took place on Monday 14 November 2022 by Councillor Barry Quinn, to officially unveil the Binnegar Operational Base (OB) Memorial Benches in Binnegar Lane, Wareham.

In 2017, the remains of an OB for one of these Auxiliary Units was discovered during the quarry expansion. During excavation by Raymond Brown Quarry Products, experts were called in from Historic England, the County Archaeologist and Coleshill Auxiliary Research Team (CART) to assess and excavate the site and record findings. This OB is now believed to be that of the Wareham Patrol as local knowledge and research has not found any link to the East Stoke Platoon of the Home Guard.  The findings, together with more details are documented on the CART website: https://www.staybehinds.com/the-coleshill-auxiliary-research-team

Research and investigations conducted by CART volunteers have shown that there were a number of Auxiliary Unit OB’s in Purbeck with at least four patrols. The cellular structure of the Auxiliary Unit Patrols meant that no one patrol had knowledge of the others or where their OB was. Such tight security meant that patrols were less likely to be compromised in the event of capture.

Two memorial benches have been constructed from blocks and ventilation pipes salvaged from the OB, with wood from an oak tree felled in the vicinity. They commemorate the men of the Auxiliary Unit who manned the OB but received no real recognition after the war, being bound to secrecy by the Official Secrets Act.

After the retreat from Dunkirk, the country was under threat of invasion and this vantage point may well have been an observation post (OP) for members of the East Stoke Home Guard. Or, it may have been members of the secret Auxiliary Units, Britain’s wartime resistance in waiting and often referred to as “Churchill’s Secret Army” that lay up awaiting their chance to strike at the Nazi invaders.  The Auxiliary Units were set up in 1940 in case of a Nazi invasion drawn from the Home Guard and local civilians. Their role was to hide underground whilst the first wave of an invasion passed by and then emerge to sabotage supplies, transport and communications to hamper the German forces and allow a counter attack. Made up of six to seven men in a patrol, they were taught demolition and issued with large quantities of explosives and weapons. Each patrol had an underground hideout known as an Operational Base (OB) where they could rest and store their supplies, it would be carefully camouflaged to avoid discovery. The men were told their life expectancy after invasion could be just a couple of weeks.

Councillor Barry Quinn commented: “ I am very pleased that this project has finally come to fruition. It has really been a team effort involving volunteers from East Stoke and CART, working with our sponsors Raymond Brown, Bindon Engineering and Holme Sawmill to deliver a community asset which both tells the historical narrative and provides a place of rest for users of the bridleway to take in a beautiful view. I hope it will be enjoyed by locals and visitors for years to come.”

“We were delighted to support CART in investigating this important part of local history, which has helped piece together part of everyday life for an Auxiliary Unit Patrol and their Operational Base during war time.  We hope that the benches and interpretation board serve as a reminder of those who were prepared to lay down their lives for our country.” Said Rob Westell, Raymond Brown Estates and Planning Director.

Raymond Brown Quarry Products achieves FORS Reaccreditation

We are pleased to announce that the Raymond Brown Fleet has successfully been reaccredited with the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) Bronze standard as a result of our continued commitment to improving the safety and efficiency of our fleet and drivers.

FORS is a voluntary nationally recognised accreditation scheme for fleet operators which aims to raise the level of quality within fleet operations, and to demonstrate which operators are achieving exemplary levels of best practice in safety, efficiency, and environmental protection.

The FORS Bronze accreditation emphasises our fleet safety, environmental impact and efficiency. Many thanks to Simon Webb, Transport Manager and Steven Laight, HSQE Manager for achieving our reaccreditation and all our drivers for their help in maintaining our high standards and their dedication to safety and effective monitoring of efficiency.

ISO HSQE Standards Reaccredited

Raymond Brown Quarry Products Ltd is pleased to announce that the business has been reaccredited with the ISO HSQE standards.

Steven Laight, HSQE Manager commented: “I am very pleased to convey we have had no non-conformances in the audit and that we have continued to maintain our accreditations. This was due to all the hard work of the site teams and their management over the past year, maintaining our compliance and continual improvement. Well done to all on a great achievement! Thank you to all for your enthusiastic involvement and input, much appreciated.”

 

Photo – Binnegar Quarry in March 2022