Amey, a leading provider of critical infrastructure for local and national Government, has teamed up with Bell Group to create a series of academies within the prison environment that will help to help transform lives and reduce reoffending. Securing employment is a key part of successful reintegration back into society upon release and people who leave prison with a job are less likely to commit another crime.

The independent results verify that phs’ AERAMAX Pro air purifiers eliminate 99.99% of an airborne coronavirus surrogate, helping to create cleaner and safer indoor environments. For months, the CDC, ASHRAE and ‘healthy building’ scientific advocates have recommended portable air cleaners using HEPA filtration for protection against COVID-19. However, Fellowes, the manufacturer of AERAMAX, wanted to put this to the test.

Facilities services provider phs Group is celebrating after scooping two national marketing awards for its period equality campaign. At the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) Marketing Excellence Awards, phs won the Best Education Campaign and Best Innovative New Product/Service awards in partnership with Magic Wand PR. Kelly Greenaway, senior brand and marketing communications manager at phs, was also chosen as a finalist at the CIM Excellence Awards for Marketer of the Year.

Air quality specialists at phs Group have released the results of an air purifier trial at four nurseries across the country. Prior to the pandemic, four nurseries – two private childcare nurseries and two school nursery classes – won free air purifiers in a competition run by facilities services provider phs alongside manufacturer Fellowes in an initiative to improve indoor air quality for nursery children.

The team at phs Group is celebrating after customer service advisor Tia Thomas won Best Newcomer at the Welsh Contact Centre Awards. Tia, who joined Caerphilly-headquartered facilities services provider phs in May 2019, was chosen for the prestigious contact centre award for her fantastic performance and outstanding customer service.

Schools must prepare for new waste disposal responsibilities ready for the roll-out of the lateral testing process, advises facilities services provider phs Group. New mass testing is being introduced across education designed to rapidly identify and contain asymptomatic cases of COVID-19. Settings are being provided with test kits and PPE for the testing of all staff, all secondary school-age pupils and students aged 19 to 25 with education, health and care (EHC) plans. But the scheme is set to produce thousands of used tests each day across the country which cannot be disposed of within standard waste streams. As the lateral flow tests are classed as a non-hazardous chemical waste, they must be segregated and incinerated.

Leading compliance and facilities management provider phs Compliance has acquired OCS Compliance, part of the OCS UK Group. As part of the deal, phs Compliance will become the preferred supplier of compliance services to OCS Group. OCS Compliance delivers a range of electrical and environmental compliance services to several hundred customers across multiple sectors in the UK. Their services include portable appliance testing, fixed electrical testing and inspection, and thermal imaging and emergency lighting maintenance.

Organisations are being called upon to do more to make their premises COVID-safe as facilities services provider phs Group addresses the airborne risk of the coronavirus. The new phs Index report reveals as many as 14% of UK premises closed their doors in November under the latest wave of restrictions. The most impacted sectors are the arts, entertainment and recreation and food services and accommodation with more than half of premises shutting down at the peak of restrictions (54% and 51% respectively).

It’s not too late to order your decorated Christmas trees as a new poll reveals consumers say Christmas won’t be the same this year if local businesses don’t decorate for the festive season. With a question mark over the extent to which the nation can celebrate Christmas this year, new independent research by horticulture services firm phs Greenleaf shows consumers are crying out for some festive cheer on the high street.

Crate rental provider phs Teacrate has expanded with the opening of a second wash facility following increased demand set to create up to 20 new jobs. Located in Durham, the new wash facility supports the continued growth of Teacrate’s business in the food sector, providing crate rental, handling equipment, packaging products and a tailored wash service to customers. With the coronavirus pandemic accelerating hygiene practices to the top of the agenda, Teacrate has experienced a surge in demand from food and retail businesses for crate washing.