Lilian Faithfull Homes has completed a £200 000 refurbishment of the exterior and front garden at its St Faith’s care home in Cheltenham – and asked resident Lily Barrett to declare it open.

The facelift included renovating windows to reduce drafts and improve insulation, cleaning and painting the stone work and replacing stone lintels. The front garden was also given
a complete redesign to complement other local gardens and provide an attractive welcome to the home.

The garden also benefited from the generosity of the Cheltenham Bowling Club Men’s team, captained last year by local man Ralph Crisp. Some of the money raised went towards the large decorative stones in the garden.

Steve Hughes, Chief Executive of Lilian Faithfull Homes, says: "The work done at St Faith’s has benefited all the residents and visitors. The building is now more welcoming and people can enjoy the garden. We are committed to maintaining the fabric of our buildings and providing a pleasant home for our residents‘.

Picture shows L-R Debra Barrett in the new garden with her mother Lily Barrett, a resident at St. Faith’s.

For more information go to: Lilian Faithfull

Clare Underhill, Peter Rowberry and Anthony Serrano

Creed Foodservice customer Peter Rowberry, chef at Merton House Holiday Hotel in Ross-On-Wye, has won a Red Letter Day Driving Experience in the Tetley ‘Win a Car’ Summer Promotion.  

Says Peter, “I entered the competition to win a car with Tetley after finding a card in their teabags but didn’t win. A few weeks later I got a call saying I had won a driving experience instead in their weekly prize draw. I was shocked because I didn’t realise I could win anything else.”

Peter says he wasn’t sure if he was allowed to keep the prize for himself at first, and offered to donate it to his bosses, although he was pleased when they told him he could keep it and is looking forward to driving a very expensive car around a race track.

Anthony Serrano from Tetley GB Ltd says he was delighted to give Peter the prize and is thrilled it’s a Creed customer. “After working closely with Creed over the past year for Tetley it’s great to help them give something back to their customer. Although the summer ‘Win a Car’ offer  has now come to an end, Tetley’s Christmas promotion is only just around the corner, so there will be plenty more opportunities ahead for Tetley customers.”

Clare Underhill from Creed is also delighted for Peter, and for Merton House. “We’ve been trading with the hotel for 11 years now so it’s great to see a small, independent customer win something like this. This promotion has been great for Creed and our customers and it’s enhanced our good working relationship with Tetley.”

Merton House Holiday Hotel is a not-for-profit Community Service Project that caters to elderly visitors and this for Clare is one of the reasons she’s so happy for Peter. 

She says “We provide Merton House with a lot of their dried and packaged food and they make our job really easy by creating menus and then telling us what they need and when. As you can imagine, a place like this gets through a lot of tea, so it’s nice for them to get something back!”

Peter adds “Tea is a staple ingredient here for visitors to Merton House and we would never consider changing our suppliers because through Creed we get great deals with Tetley and I’m looking forward to trying to win again when the winter offer starts up!”

Picture shows L-R: Clare Underhill, Peter Rowberry and Anthony Serrano outside the Merton House Holiday Hotel in Ross-On-Wye.

New Website

Johnsons Stalbridge Linen Services, a leading specialist supplier of linen and workwear hire, and laundry services, for many of the UK’s leading hotels and restaurants, has unveiled its new website.

Featuring clear and easy to navigate pages, www.stalbridgelinen.com guides the browser through the company’s complete range of products and services by end-user sector – in kitchens, restaurants, hotels and for corporate, sporting or special events.  There’s also a page devoted to the company’s environmental responsibilities, links to news stories, customer testimonials and a section which directs browsers quickly and easily to contact and delivery details.

“In designing the new website, we wanted to create a fresh, clean image to complement our product range!” explained David Hill, sales and marketing director of Johnsons Stalbridge Linen Services.  “Crisp, clean and beautifully presented linen always creates a positive and lasting first impression – hopefully our new website will do the same!”

Johnsons Stalbridge Linen Services offers high quality napkins and tablecloths in a wide variety of sizes and colours to suit every dining requirement, and just like its range of high quality  towels and bed linen, all are available on short term or permanent hire with the benefit of the company’s unique ‘no contract’ agreement.

In the kitchen, Johnsons Stalbridge Linen Services offers Chef jackets in a range of designs and sizes, with a choice of Chef trousers to help tailor the look and encourage individuality. The company also supplies a wide range of waist, bib or butchers aprons, plus skull caps and neck ties.

For further information about the company’s range of products and services, visit www.stalbridgelinen.com or call 01747 857609.

SanRemo’s Managing Director Andrew Tucker believes grinders are often over-looked as critical pieces of equipment for coffee shop success: “The grinder is an integral part of the quality chain.  It is the single last critical link between the coffee producing process – from the bush to the bean processing, to transport, careful roasting, packaging and ultimate arrival at the coffee house – and the conversion of the raw product to a delicious drink. So it’s critical to get the grinder decision right.” 

This new on-demand grinder sets a new standard for busy coffee houses, making fast precision dosing easier for the busy specialist Barista.

SanRemo is one of Italy’s leading coffee machine producers with an outstanding track record of manufacturing beautifully designed, high quality, reliable and easy to use

SanRemo New Grinder FSR75-OD

machines.                                                                                             

Originally an artisan firm, renowned for fine quality and workmanship, the business has, over the last ten years, been the subject of considerable investment, including the development of SanRemo UK and recently the UK Barista Championship’s Verona TCS.

The devotion to quality and performance has been further enhanced by on-going product innovation, using the latest technology without compromising SanRemo’s awesome reliability.  

As the official UKBC machine sponsor, these machines have been put through their paces by the best in the country and as one Barista said during the competition “these machines rock”!! 

To see the full range of SanRemo machines and grinders, suitable for operations from the smallest specialist shop to fast paced coffee chains go to www.sanremouk.com or call 01364 644445.

Solo Cup Europe New BrandBuilder products

Solo Cup Europe launched a new, extended BrandBuilder™ service.   

Following the success of the hot cups service, BrandBuilder™ is now available on UltraClear Tumblers and Heavy Duty Containers, suitable for thicker soups and meal solutions.

BrandBuilder™ enables operators take to advantage of the promotional benefits of bespoke printed cups in quantities suited to smaller operations – enabling them to compete head-on with big high street brands. 

Tony Waters, Managing Director of Solo Cup Europe, believes that cups are an under-utilised message medium.  He says:  “Cups can be a walking advert for your operation.  They can be used to promote awareness, or to communicate a special offer or new deal.  Now this service is available on clear tumblers and heavy duty containers suitable for soups and meal deals, it’s time to get creative and make those cups work for your business – BrandBuilder™ is quite literally ‘your brand in their hands’!”

BrandBuilder™ has a six weeks lead time and is available on quantities of 5 000, 10 000 or 15 000 in up to eight colour printing.  Sizes are 8, 12 and 16oz paper hot cups, 12 and 16oz Heavy Duty containers and 9, 12 and 16oz UltraClear tumblers. 

For further information about Solo Cup Europe’s BrandBuilder™ service and to request samples, visit   or call 01480 459413.

DayMark UK Clinell Range

Clinical Trials Prove 99.999% Effectiveness

CMC DayMark Limited, in partnership with Steroplast Healthcare Limited, has launched the range of ‘Clinell’ infection control products into the foodservice sector.

Already used successfully in the healthcare sector, these new anti-microbial products have been clinically proven to be totally effective against all superbugs including those commonly found in foodservice applications such as E-coli and Salmonella. The new Clinell range also offers one of the best infection reduction rates and carries on working up to 6 times longer than most other products currently on the market.

In clinical tests of the Clinell Disinfectant Spray, carried out by Retroscreen Virology, Europe’s leading contract Virology research company, no traces of any viruses were found on any of the points where the product was tested.

Clinell’s success is attributed to its unique patented biocidal formulation, containing six biocides which all work independently of each other to reduce the risk of germs developing a resistance.

Its effectiveness in combating some of the most common superbugs including Norovirus, C-Diff, MRSA, Hepatitis-C, Hepatitis-B, E-Coli, H1N1, Salmonella and Influenza, has already led to it winning many accolades from professionals throughout the NHS, where it is specified as the product of choice in operating theatres and highly sensitive areas.

Greg Fitchett, Director of Sales, DayMark UK says:  “We are delighted to bring NHS infection control standards to the foodservice sector.  The new Clinell wipes will enable chefs and operators to implement the highest standards of hygiene in their kitchens, reducing risk to staff and customers.  Clinell also goes on working for up to 72 hours, making it the ultimate infection control product.”

The Clinell range of infection control products for the food service sector includes Hand and Surface Sanitiser and Disinfectant Sprays. 

For further details about DayMark’s Clinell range of infection control products please contact:-  DayMark UK – 0800 783 7933    daymarkuk@daymarksafety.com

SR 1000 Bean to Cup machine

SanRemo has launched the new SR 1000 Bean to Cup machine.  This strikingly stylish new machine is cool white and is the new ‘must-have’ look for any coffee shop, café, bistro or bar that is fitting out to a design led, premium quality theme. 

It has the capacity for 120 cappuccinos per hour and provides outstanding drink quality with excellent features making it simple and easy to produce great tasting drinks. It’s even easy to make two drinks at once (just press the button twice!) and its simple, yet extensive, menu selection system makes the SanRemo SR1000 the machine of the future.

SanRemo is one of Italy’s leading coffee machine producers with an outstanding track record of manufacturing beautifully designed, high quality, reliable and easy to use machines. Originally an artisan firm, renowned for fine quality and workmanship, the business has, over the last ten years, been the subject of considerable investment, including the development of SanRemo UK and recently the UK Barista Championship’s Verona TCS.                                                                                                                           

The devotion to quality and performance has been further enhanced by on-going product innovation, using the latest technology without compromising SanRemo’s awesome reliability.

As the official UKBC machine sponsor, these machines have been put through their paces by the best in the country and as one Barista said during the competition “these machines rock”!!

To see the full range of SanRemo machines and grinders, suitable for operations from the smallest specialist shop to fast paced coffee chains go to SanRemo UK  or call 01364 644445.

Number of accidents falls and insurance claims are slashed

Linen hire and chefswear specialist Johnsons Stalbridge Linen Services has slashed the cost of insurance claims and dramatically reduced the number of accidents involving its drivers following the introduction of an innovative company-wide driver training scheme.

All 140 drivers of the company’s delivery vehicles and company cars took part in the scheme, which offers up to 11 hours of driver training, hazard perception tests, vehicle checks and regular driver assessments.

As a result, figures released show a huge reduction of almost 50% in the number of accidents in 2009, as compared with the previous year, with even greater reductions forecast for 2010.  In 2008 there were 60 incidents involving commercial vehicles, and 30 involving company cars, out of an estimated six million miles per year, yet in 2009, those figures had dropped to just 28 involving commercial vehicles, and 19 involving company cars.  This works out at just six accidents per million miles for commercial vehicles and 16 accidents per million miles for company cars.

The cost and number of insurance claims has also plummeted from 90, costing £118,000 in 2007/8, to 47 costing £72,000 in 2008/9.

“This has proved to be an incredibly successful scheme which has resulted in significant cost savings for the business as a whole, and given all our drivers a much greater understanding of road safety and of potential hazards,” commented Phillip Martin, Driver Trainer at Johnsons Stalbridge Linen Services. 

“Even though the majority of accidents were minor collisions which took place usually when reversing, on business premises and even in our own factory yard, and at speeds of less than 5mph, they are still recorded as an accident and as such are subject to an investigation and possibly an insurance claim,” he added.

“When viewed in the context of the total amount of driver journeys completed by our employees every year, the number of accidents is still very small, but anything that can be done to improve driver skills and further reduce the accident rate is still a worthwhile and positive step towards greater overall road safety.”

Phillip pointed out that none of the accidents recorded in 2009 occurred at high speed or involved either pedestrians or bicycles.

“With up to 150 vehicles on the road making daily deliveries to our customers, we take our road safety responsibilities very seriously and it’s testament to all our drivers’ commitment to the scheme that we have been able to make such dramatic improvements,” he added.

Johnsons Stalbridge Linen Services is a specialist provider of linen and chefs’ wear, and laundry services, for many of the UK’s leading hotels and restaurants.  Its head office is in Shaftesbury with regional depots in Milborne and Sturminster Newton, and further afield in the West Midlands and Glasgow.  It employs 596 people across the UK.

The new web site highlights the three pillars of sustainability that form its environmental policy: ‘options, investment and education’. The web site shows the five steps to sustainability that the company follows, from sourcing of raw materials, through production, packing and transport to waste recovery and recycling. 

Anne Sutton, VP for the Environment at of Solo Cup Europe says: “There is no general consensus on what is ‘environmentally friendly’ in foodservice packaging, and every choice has a trade off.  We are focussed on providing options to consumers and foodservice operators so they can make the choice that best fits their needs. There is a lot of information about materials and recycling and it can be both bewildering and misleading for customers. Our new site sets out clearly where we stand and the continual steps our business takes to minimise its impact on the planet.”

For more information about Solo Cup Europe’s single use solutions, go to the main site at www.solocupeurope.co.uk, or call 01480 459413.

70 customers and 20 suppliers attended the popular event at Brickhampton Court Golf Complex in Churchdown to show off their skills and raise money.

Players took to the green during the day in teams of four for the 18-hole Stableford competition – with Colin Earby from Bottlegreen Drinks Company, Simon Locke from So Catering. David Parish from Nestlé and James Roberts from Lea Marston Hotel, Sutton Coldfield making up the winning team.

Guests later enjoyed an evening meal made using locally sourced produce including delicious beetroot cured Wye Valley salmon and poached Madgetts Farm duck.

The after dinner raffle, sweepstake on the 17^th hole and a ‘Heads or Tails’ game all contributed to the total raised for Winston’s Wish. 

Picture shows the winning team L – R:  Colin Earby – Bottlegreen Drinks Company, David Parish – Nestlé, James Roberts – Lea Marston Hotel and Simon Locke – So Catering.