Let the good times bowl!

Saturday 13th December, All Star Lanes, Holborn, London. 

We asked: are you ready to (Christmas) party?

The response was pretty definite! 

We couldn't let the event pass without a small gift to CEO Frank and MD Andy for their help and support in organising the event. They really looked the part after we presented them with authentic US bowling shirts all the way from Indiana. Forget the everyday...

tonight Matthew, we're Fast Lane Frankie and Rockin' Raz.

The night was young and the lanes were getting lively as our younger guests kicked off the practice sessions before things got competitive. We shared great food and drinks including cocktails, champagne and very fancy non-alcoholic cocktails for the younger guests, with amazing food that went down well with all.

We had a 50s theme and the gents and ladies in attendance did not disappoint. A very dapper Dave and Steve here, in the early stages of forming Bastows' very own Rat Pack. 

The dresses looked amazing on you ladies- and who knew the boys scrubbed up so well? We consider the theme a roaring success....

 

... Even if Rob did go for the 50s revolutionary look by turning up as Fidel Castro (outfit of the night? We think so. Awesome work, that man.)

It was great to see everyone getting to know each other and meet new members of the family- we hope everyone felt very well looked after and welcome. 

Family members brought along their older children to join the fun, meaning we had the extra competitive edge of worrying that the grownups would be beaten by the kids...

Sam, Sanja and Chupo got into the party spirit- and they were not alone. 

Some of us had decided that it was time that karaoke machine earned its keep. 

It was great to see so many people try their hand at being the next X Factor superstar (even if most of us were more like Stevi Ritchie) and there were a few surprises as we belted out tunes ranging from 'Fairytale of New York' to AC/DC's finest moments... 

Thank you to everyone who came along and made the night such a blast. 

Thank you for bringing your husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends, colleagues and friends. 

It really wouldn't have been the same without you.

Wonderful Wednesday News!

We are proud to announce that after celebrating our debut last year, we have been selected to feature in the Building Good Employer Guide for the second year running. 

The Building Good Employer Guide is a celebration of the best companies to work for in the construction industry. Our inclusion is testament to the work we do to invite input from all, share information and promote training and development, responsibility and self-determination, all contributing to making Bastows sites happy, healthy and productive workplaces.

We understand that we have a duty of care to our people not just because it's law, but because it makes sound business sense to go beyond that to invest in them and to collaborate so we get the best of every point of view.

We are so proud to be listed in the guide thanks to direct positive feedback from our people to the assessors. We thank our Family for supporting our efforts and for playing such a crucial part in our successes. 

We did it!

Thank you to everyone

I'm delighted to tell you all that we have PASSED an extended assessment for theInvestors in People Health & Wellbeing award.

This means we remain accredited for our efforts and will continue to work to remain on top of our game and leading the field!

Our assessor Jim Illingworth has asked me to pass on his thanks to all who took the time to speak with him. My personal thanks to all of you who supported the assessment.

Now we go for more success and more recognition!

Bastows awarded Government Trust Mark

We are proud to announce that Bastows have been awarded the Government-endorsed Trust Mark standard.

This has been given in recognition of our commitment to quality workmanship, good business practice and dedication to great customer service.

Our continuing commitment to the highest standards has already been well demonstrated through our accreditations and awards but we are always proud to add to the recognition and celebrate our achievements with all! 

Family Business of the Year 2014: We Are Winners!

We are proud and delighted to annnounce that at last night's Family Business United awards, Bastows were honoured as the UK Construction and Property Family Business of the Year.

The event was hosted by Farrer & Co in Lincoln's Inn Fields in the heart of London and the city felt very beautiful last night as we joined other family businesses. Familiar faces were greeted and new connections made as we shared stories and cheered each other on as the awards were announced.

Andrew approves of the new addition to the office

We were thrilled to receive the UK award for our sector- a completely unexpected moment as I can testify; my acceptance speech began with an flabbergasted me saying "Blimey!"

It was wonderful to be shortlisted as a regional finalist too alongside some truly brilliant and diverse companies and our congratulations go to F Hinds Ltd, the deserving winners of the regional title.

Thank you to the judging panel, to Paul Andrews who is the heart and soul of Family Business United, and to all our fellow family business nominees and winners. We really are keeping the economy going and the values of family alive around the UK. 

Bastows attains Safecontractor standard for fifth year

For the fifth successive year, Bastows has been awarded accreditation from Safecontractor for its commitment to achieving excellence in health and safety.

Safecontractor is a leading third party accreditation scheme which recognises very high standards in health and safety management amongst UK contractors.

The company’s application for Safecontractor accreditation was driven by the need for a measured and independently evaluated safety performance standard across the business.

Safecontractor accreditation will enhance the company’s ability to attract new contracts and its commitment to safety will be viewed positively by its insurers when the company liability policy is up for renewal.

Safecontractor is applicable to most sectors although it is particularly relevant to food manufacture, property, facilities management, retail and leisure sectors, all of which are big users of contracted services.

John Kinge, technical director of Safecontractor said, "Major organisations simply cannot afford to run the risk of employing contractors who are not able to prove that they have sound health and safety policies in place."

"More companies need to understand the importance of adopting good risk management in the way that Bastows has done. The firm’s high standard has set an example which hopefully will be followed by other companies within the sector.

Safecontractor plays a vital role in supporting our clients in meeting their compliance needs, whilst working with their contractors as they progress through the accreditation process.”

Under the Safecontractor scheme, businesses undergo a vetting process which examines health and safety procedures and their track record for safe practice. Those companies meeting the high standard are included on a database, which is accessible to registered users only via a website.

Client-organisations who sign up to the scheme can access the database, enabling them to vet potential contractors before they even set foot on site. These clients agree that, as users of the scheme, they will engage only those who have received accreditation.

Over 210 major, nation-wide businesses, from several key sectors, have signed up to use the scheme when selecting contractors for services such as building, cleaning, maintenance, refurbishment or electrical and mechanical work.

Bastows Managing Director Andy Racxinkaitis said, "We are proud to have been recognised once again for our efforts and will continue our commitment to safe working practices in the years to come.

Bastows approach to safety and responsibility is unsurpassed in our market, meaning clients have complete peace of mind on quality, value and safe methods of working.

Our continued accreditation means clients know we have been open and have welcomed an independent inspection of our safety policies, procedures and systems to ensure fair and transparent benchmarking."

Party like it's 1963/1989 (delete as appropriate)

What a swell party...

The Bastows Family got together in late May to celebrate 50 years of Making London Beautiful and 25 years of happy marriage for Frank and Amanda Bastow. 

The party was hosted by Frank and Amanda- sorry, expertly hosted- and was held in the beautiful Surrey countryside.

Over 200 guests of all ages were treated like A-list stars, with live music, beauty treatments, beautiful marquees, gorgeous food and drinks- even a cocktail bar and a vodka luge, suitably branded with our anniversary logo!

Afternoon tea was followed by an incredible buffet expertly served and presented by specialist caterers Scotts.

From fresh fruit and canapes to pastries, from salads and sandwiches to a hog roast, we were spoilt for choice- even if everyone felt momentarily guilty about sampling and ruining the works of art on offer.

A close-up magician entertained us with amazing tricks and illusions, and never gave away a single secret....

The spaces created were sumptious, comfortable and welcoming whether you needed to kick up your heels or have a quiet moment to catch up with friends.

For a while everyone was on their best behaviour...

 

 ... brotherly love was in evidence...











... contractor/ client relations were at an all time high...






... and the garden looked stunning as night fell. It was a sophisticated do, the highlight of the year and everyone was enjoying the elegance of the day.




Then the swing band kicked off, the cocktail bar got busier and it all got a bit messy.

The band were amazing- storming, stomping and whipped up the crowd, filling the dancefloor and rocking not just the house, but the whole street. 


Shoes were kicked off, and the dancers gave it their all.

The food became props for silly photos... here's Nim and Dave sharing a baguette and not messing about at all, oh no...










... while Raz and Frank challenged all comers to try their luck on the vodka luge. Have you ever tried marmalade flavoured vodka? We have. Twice. Trust us- it's potent.

Our thanks to all who celebrated with us, to all who worked so hard to give us all a great experience, and to Frank and Amanda for organising it all. It was a brilliant event made more special because we shared it with Family. 

Though the 75th anniversary party is going to have a LOT to live up to...

It's SILVER!

We are proud to announce that we have been recognised with the Investors in People Silver award.

Following our recent assessment where people from across the Bastows Family were interviewed we are delighted to confirm that we have been awarded Silver status. We have gone from being unaccredited to one of the highest levels of recognition in just 3 years, illustrating out ongoing commitment to excellence in people development.

Jim, our assessor, was particularly impressed by:

• The way the values drive the company forward and underpin everything it does.
• The approach of treating employees as members of the ‘Family’.
• The concern for people’s health and wellbeing.
• The effort made to ensure people feel informed and that their ideas are welcomed and valued.
• The ways we facilitate sharing of knowledge.
• The way Directors make people development a high priority and are keen to provide the necessary resources.
• That people feel listened to and that most believe their manager will do what they can to address their concerns.
• That people have a high regard for their site managers and trust and respect the Directors.
• That people are encouraged to attain qualifications and are kept up to date in all technical subjects.

We are delighted that so many members of our Family took time to share their stories and experiences with Jim to support our efforts. It makes us very proud that we attained this as we asked everyone to just "Be honest."

We want to be the very best for our clients. Our people are what make us the best- and we can prove it!

Family Business of the Year- cast your vote!

We are thrilled to share the news that Bastows have once again been shortlisted for the London & South East Family Business of the Year 2014.

15 great family firms have been shortlisted for the award in our region and as well as being nominated for the regional title, we have also been entered to the People’s Choice Award which is determined by the public vote.

To add to that, we have been shortlisted for the Property & Construction Family Business of the Year Award too.

Online voting is now open here and we would love your support. Please vote and encourage everyone you know to support us too!