Selco News

Newport & Gwent Samaritans is set to double its capacity to offer support to distressed people by moving to new premises with the support of Selco Builders Warehouse.

We have provided hundreds of pounds worth of materials to help the Newport-based charity relocate from its current central Newport premises on Baker Street to a new home on Waters Lane.

Newport & Gwent Samaritans currently answer around 10,000 calls every year but is confident the move, which it hopes to complete by the end of June, will help significantly increase that number.

Sharon Beckett, a director of the charity, said: “Our current premises allow for a maximum of two people to take calls at any one time and we hope to increase that number to four when we move.

“While we deal with a high number of calls every year, we are unable to answer them as quickly as they come in so it’s vital we took this opportunity to increase our capacity.

“Calls that we take are from distressed people who are often at risk of suicide or self-harm and our well-trained volunteers give over 200 hours a week to listen to these people.

“When we first started working at the new premises to get it into a fit state for us to occupy, it quickly became clear it was going to cost far more than we anticipated and hoped so Selco’s donation has been crucial.

“They have provided so much, from paint to skirting boards and brushes to rollers to help us deliver the vision for our new home.

“I get emotional thinking about the support they have provided because it’s going to make such a difference to the services we can provide, as well as being a hub which can host meetings and gatherings of local community groups.”

Our Cardiff branches are based on Parc Ty Glas in Llanishen and on Hadfield Road.

Carine Jessamine, marketing director at Selco, said: “We are delighted to lend our support to the Newport & Gwent Samaritans which does such fantastic work across a large part of Wales.

“We know that the number of people facing mental health challenges is rising in general and is also high amongst those working in the trade and construction sector.

“The increased capacity the Samaritans will enjoy in its new location is going to make a huge difference to the vitally important service provided by the charity and we are glad to have played a part in making the move happen.”

We have joined forces with Cheltenham Town Football Club to give a Gloucestershire junior football team a thrilling finale to their season.

As a club partner of Cheltenham, we ran a special competition with the Robins which was won by Longlevens Lions under 13s.

The team, which play in the Seven Valley Youth League under 13 B Division, won an exclusive training session from Cheltenham Town head coach Wade Elliott, as well as 20 tickets to a League One game at the Completely-Suzuki Stadium and a new kit for the 2023-24 season.

Former Burnley and Bournemouth midfielder Wade attended the training session at the Lions’ home pitch of Innsworth Lane Playing Fields.

Wade said: “I had a brilliant night with Longlevens Lions and I only hope that the lads enjoyed it half as much as I did.

“The grassroots game is football at its purest. You have coaches giving up their time to help youngsters and children with huge smiles on their faces playing for the love of it.

“With the pressure in the professional game, you sometimes forget what football is all about but it was great to go back and get that feeling of playing with your best mates.

“All the players live within a stone’s throw of the pitch and I could tell throughout the session that there was a great spirit and friendship amongst the team.”

The competition was open to any boys or girls team playing in a recognised league at any age group between under eights and under 15s in or around Cheltenham.

Chris Theyer, manager of Longlevens Lions, said: “We were thrilled to win the prize and the lads have had a wonderful experience from it.

“A few of them have never been to a professional match so to have the chance to go and watch Cheltenham was great.

“To then have Wade, who has played in the Premier League and is now first team coach at our local club, was fantastic.

“He really got involved in the session and gave the team a brilliant insight into life in professional football and some tips about how they could improve as individuals and as a team.

“For me as a coach, it was also great to have the chance to pick Wade’s brains and pick up one or two points. It was a fantastic experience all round and we are very grateful to both Selco and Cheltenham Town.”

Our Cheltenham branch can be found on Festival Park (GL51 9NQ).

At Selco Builders Warehouse, we’re helping to make the country’s gardens more wildlife friendly by launching brand new hedgehog hole gravel boards.

Hedgehogs travel up to one mile every night looking for food, nesting sites and mates, but solid concrete gravel boards often restrict how far these small mammals can travel. Our brand new gravel boards feature a 13cm hole, providing a safe route for hedgehogs and other wildlife to move with ease between different gardens and habitats.

Recent reports suggest that up to three quarters of Britain’s rural hedgehogs may have been lost in the last two decades, even being classed as ‘vulnerable to extinction’ in the British Red List for Mammals in 2020.

Hedgehogs need large areas of uninterrupted land to thrive. Fragmentation is a major issue affecting the species, with fences, walls, new developments and roads breaking up green spaces that hedgehogs depend on. However, in 2019, new planning laws came into force requiring small holes to be included in the base of fences in all new housing developments. Our new gravel boards allow anyone to add their very own ‘hedgehog highway’ to their outdoor space.

Carine Jessamine, marketing director at Selco, said: “Our hedgehog friendly gravel boards are a great new addition to our fencing and landscaping range.

“Similar to a standard fence panel gravel board, but with a hole at one end, they help hedgehogs to roam freely between gardens. We recommend installing one on each side of a garden to create an easy passage for hedgehogs and other small wildlife.”

Here at Selco, we have continued our commitment to protecting the environment by launching the third phase of our ambitious tree planting project.

We have planted 45,000 trees at Wooplaw Farm in Jedburgh on the Scottish Borders to create the latest ‘Selco Forest’.

It means, over the last two years, we have planted more than 300,000 trees including on a second site in Jedburgh and in Llandrindod Wells in Wales.

The latest planting has been made on land totalling 24 hectares and will offset more than 3,200 tonnes of carbon during the trees’ lifecycle.

The tree-planting scheme sits alongside a wide range of policies to help us reduce our carbon footprint, including introducing alternative fuel vehicles into the transport fleet, a comprehensive recycling strategy, the installation of LED lighting and a new gas management system across the network.

Carine Jessamine, Selco marketing director and head of sustainability, said: “We are committed to continuing our investment in the future by playing our part in protecting our people, the environment and the planet.

“We have already begun delivering on our long-term vision to use alternative fuel vehicles across the entire Selco business and implementing a wider programme of many operational changes.

“As we continue to bring those policies to fruition, we have made the decision to offset our carbon emissions in the short term through the planting of trees and we are delighted to have now planted 300,000 trees across three locations.”

The trees planted on the new Jedburgh site include Sitka spruce, Douglas fir and Norway spruce.

We have joined forces with the landowner and key timber supplier BSW Timber, together with BSW Timber’s subsidiary companies Tilhill and CarbonStore, on the project.

Carine added: “We are delighted with the new site. Not only will the forest help us reduce our carbon footprint but it will also enhance the surrounding landscape, with native species creating biodiversity value.”

Darts fans in Peterborough will have the chance to test their skills against Premier League star Dimitri Van den Bergh next week in an event to mark the opening of our new branch.

The flamboyant 28-year-old from Belgium – famous for his dancing walk-ons – will be appearing at Selco Peterborough on Padholme Road East between 9.30am and 11.30am on Wednesday May 10 as part of our partnership with the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC).

Van den Bergh is currently ranked number 10 in the world and won the coveted World Matchplay title in 2020 as well as two World Series of Darts events last year, before reaching the World Championship semi-finals in January.

Darts fans will be given the chance to meet Van den Bergh and take him on in a special nine-dart challenge, with prizes up for grabs.

Van den Bergh said: “It’s always special to meet the fans because they are such an important part of the success of darts.

“I’m looking forward to attending Selco Peterborough and taking on the branch’s colleagues and customers, as well as members of the general public.

“I’d encourage anyone in the local area who is a fan of darts to come down. It’s sure to be a very fun morning and it will give me some useful practice before I travel to Sheffield for the next Premier League night on Thursday.”

Carine Jessamine, marketing director of Selco, said: “We are delighted to welcome Dimitri to our new Peterborough branch.

“He is one of the biggest characters in the sport and the fact he’s part of the Premier League shows just how talented a player he is.

“The branch appearances from PDC players are always very popular events and we look forward to another good turn-out. There is no need to book. Just come to the branch between 9.30am and 11.30am on Wednesday morning and take on one of the biggest names in darts.”

A Peterborough charity which supports children and young adults with additional needs, disabilities and life-limiting conditions has received £1,000 after a new Selco Builders Warehouse opened in the area.

To mark the opening of our new branch on Padholme Road East, we ran a Community Heroes initiative to donate £1,000 to a charity or community group in Peterborough.

Little Miracles was selected as the winner and will use the money to take a group of 800 children, parents and carers to Legoland during the May half-term holiday.

As part of the celebrations to mark the opening of our 75th UK branch, we also pledged a further £2,000 to its nominated charity Cancer Research UK.

Little Miracles was founded in 2010 and has 14 centres across the east of England. It provides on-site activities, training and counselling, as well as offering school outreach and home education sessions. It supported more than 31,000 people in 2022.

Michelle King, CEO and founder of Little Miracles and whose child Oliver was born with Down’s Syndrome 15 years ago, said: “Our aim is to be there every step of the way for children and young people up to the age of 25 who have additional needs, disabilities or life-limiting conditions, as well as their families.

“In some cases, this means providing support even before final diagnosis has been provided.

“The charity is growing very quickly and it’s incredible to see the numbers of children and families we are now supporting.

“The children love the days out we provide but they are very costly events. Selco’s donation will be a huge help towards a trip to Legoland and we are massively grateful for the support the new branch has provided.”

Chris Barber, branch manager at Selco Peterborough, said: “It’s fantastic to be able to open our Peterborough branch, taking the Selco offering into a new part of the country and serve tradespeople of the local area.

“Supporting charities and community groups in the areas in which we operate is an integral part of the Selco ethos so we are delighted to mark the opening of our new branch with a £3,000 donation to Little Miracles and Cancer Research UK.

“Little Miracles is hugely respected in the local community and it’s fantastic to help provide the opportunity for the children who are supported by the charities to enjoy a day out to remember.”

Rugby league fans will have the chance to get up close and personal with England stars at a special meet-and-greet at our branch in Warrington on Wednesday.

As part of the build-up to the double-header with France at the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Saturday, England players will be in attendance at the Selco Builders Warehouse branch on Milner Street between 4.30pm and 5pm.

New England men’s captain and Warrington Wolves ace George Williams will be in attendance, along with a number of his team-mates and members of the women’s squad.

Fans will be invited to meet the players, as well as secure pictures, selfies and autographs, while five pairs of tickets for the double-header will be up for grabs as spot prizes.

George said: “Leading England out for the first time since being named as permanent captain is going to be an incredible feeling and the game being at my home ground makes it an extra special week.

“The fans play a big part in any sport and it will be brilliant to hold this event at Selco and meet some of them ahead of a huge weekend.”

Selco is an official partner of the Rugby Football League and a back of shirt sponsor of the England teams.

Paul Birtles, manager of Selco Warrington, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming members of the England’s men and women’s teams into the branch and giving local fans the chance to meet their heroes.

“Many of our customers and colleagues are huge rugby league fans so, as well as the match itself, it’s brilliant to provide this extra event as part of the build-up.”

Members of a junior football club in Peterborough will have the chance to end their season in style after a special competition was launched.

The initiative will give one lucky team the chance to be trained by Peterborough United’s elite coaches who will deliver their insight and expertise to young players in an exclusive one-hour session, as well as receiving 20 tickets for a first team game.

Posh and club partner Selco Builders Warehouse have joined forces to offer the exciting prize which also includes a new kit for the 2023-24 season.

The competition is open to any boys or girls’ team playing in a recognised league at any age group between under eights and under 15s in or around Peterborough. Entries can be made by filling in the form online before midday on Tuesday, April 25.

Alex Harris, commercial manager at Peterborough United, said: “We’ve had a fantastic relationship with Selco throughout the season and they recently provided free coach transport for supporters travelling to the midweek game to Accrington.

“We are delighted to team up with Selco for this special competition. Grassroots football is where it all began for every professional player and it’s fantastic to have the chance to give something back.”

Selco has been a club partner of Peterborough United for the 2022-23 season and opened a new branch on Padholme Road East in Peterborough earlier this month.

Carine Jessamine, marketing director of Selco, said: “We are enjoying both our first month having a branch in Peterborough and partnering with the football club.

“This is fantastic prize bundle for young footballers in the area, with the chance to win a training session with Peterborough’s first team coaches, tickets to watch Peterborough United in action and a new kit.”

With hundreds of trade brands always in stock, Selco’s UK branches are firmly focused on helping tradespeople complete their jobs as quickly and effectively as possible.

As well as offering trade services, Selco also has a strong digital presence including Click & Deliver and Click & Collect services and a new app - as well as a ‘Dial & Deliver’ telephone service - to make life as convenient as possible for tradespeople.

Our Croydon branch is marking 20 years of trading this week with our longest serving customers and colleagues at the heart of the celebrations.

The branch on Mitcham Road first opened its doors in 2003 and is still going strong today, serving hundreds of local tradespeople every day.

A week of celebrations are planned at the branch including trade days with key suppliers, a customer darts tournament and a bake sale and raffle in aid of Cancer Research UK, our nominated charity for the year.

Some of the customers who have been trading throughout the two decades will attend a special celebration breakfast on Friday and receive a bottle of champagne.

Paul White, branch manager of Selco Croydon for the last 18 months, said: “We are proud to have been an established part of the Croydon community over the last 20 years.

“A lot of our customers use our branch multiple times a week, as well as other Selco branches in the local area, so we have built up strong relationships with many of them over the years.

“We wanted to make them a big part of the celebrations and we will have a number of our longest-serving customers joining us on Friday, while we had a special event for colleagues who started at Selco Croydon on the opening day and are still with the company now.

“It’s been a fantastic 20 years and we are already looking forward to the next 20 as we provide tradespeople with the most convenient solution possible to meet their every day working needs.”

Tradespeople have been given the chance to secure pricing certainty during 2023 after we introduced a special quote guarantee scheme for customers.

We have launched a ‘Quote Lock’ initiative to run throughout April, fixing the prices on quotes for six months.

The scheme is open to any official quote issued to a Trade Card holder, either in one of our 75 branches or online, at any point during this month.

Howard Luft, Chief Executive of Selco, said: “Throughout all areas of life, the cost of living crisis has had a real impact and tradespeople have been affected too.

“We have seen rising prices across the board and tradespeople have had jobs cancelled at short notice through no fault of their own.

“We have done everything we can to keep the impact of rising prices to a minimum for our customers and now want to provide price assurance and certainty with the Quote Lock scheme, adding another layer to our usual pledge of competitive trade pricing.

“If a customer has a job either scheduled or potentially coming down the line, securing a quote throughout April will mean they know the prices they will be paying for the materials until the last quarter of the year.

“This will be a welcome boost for tradespeople during what has been a difficult period for everyone in society.”

Normally held open for a month, each quote generated in April will be valid for a total of 183 days. It can only be purchased once and will be valid for the quantity displayed on the quote.