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All rights reserved. en rob.charlton@creating-space.co.uk http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/11/88 Nov 2007 22:00:51 eLucy Baxterhttp://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/11/8http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/9/11 Sep 2007 18:58:34 eRob Charltonhttp://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/9/1http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/8/2424 Aug 2007 22:20:43 eRob Charltonhttp://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/8/24http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/8/77 Aug 2007 21:51:27 eRob Charltonhttp://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/8/7http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/8/77 Aug 2007 21:51:18 eRob Charltonhttp://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/8/7http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/8/77 Aug 2007 21:51:11 eRob Charltonhttp://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/8/7http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/7/33 Jul 2007 16:44:29 eRob Charltonhttp://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/7/3http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/6/2727 Jun 2007 11:07:09 eRob Charltonhttp://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/6/27http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/6/2525 Jun 2007 17:00:10 eRob Charltonhttp://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/6/25http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/6/1818 Jun 2007 9:14:36 eRob Charltonhttp://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/6/18http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/6/1414 Jun 2007 18:45:19 eRob Charltonhttp://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/6/14http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/6/77 Jun 2007 9:26:02 eRob Charltonhttp://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/6/7http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/4/2929 Apr 2007 21:10:29 eRob Charltonhttp://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/4/29http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/4/1818 Apr 2007 9:34:51 eRob Charltonhttp://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/4/18http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/4/1818 Apr 2007 9:25:41 eRob Charltonhttp://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/4/18http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/4/33 Apr 2007 22:39:19 eRob Charltonhttp://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/4/3http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/4/33 Apr 2007 22:32:10 eRob Charltonhttp://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/4/3http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/3/2424 Mar 2007 20:40:20 eRob Charltonhttp://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/3/24http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/3/2424 Mar 2007 20:27:53 eRob Charltonhttp://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/3/24 http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/3/20 We had our Black and Gold Ball last week. There was so much effort put into this evening and it was alittle bit of a gamble as we were unsure if it was going to be a success. They say you never enjoy your own partiy well this was not the case here. We all had a great night and it was great to have all of our freinds there supporting us. Not only did we all enjoy ourselfes we managed to raise over £26k for children north east. The thinking behing the night came from a corporate evening we had done previously where we spent many thousand of pounds for a very glitsy eveny but it left a bit of a hollow feeling aftewards. This year we spent this money to raise funds for children norht east and to have a great evening. Everyone wins. I managed to get myself into a bidding war with Richard from the office and ended up paying far more than I should for Johnathoon Ross's suit. It now has prode of place on a manequin in the corner of the office. We have all tried it on to see how we shape up to Johnathon. I beleive it fits me but steve brooks beleives it fits him and he is over six foot! Can I thank everyone for their support and look forward to next years event. 20 Mar 2007 14:25:39 e Rob Charlton http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/3/20 http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/3/20 I have not been able to complete my blog for the last few weeks. Some may have noticed…most will not have. This is due to a technical problem with the site I believe others tell me user error. I was away for a week in the sun also which was very enjoyable. This always gives me the opportunity to read which is my greatest luxury.I am fascinated by autobiographies by entrepreneurs. I read Richards Bransons book Screw it Just do it! which is a great read and is very much aligned to the waring and netts philosophy. I also read a couple of books in relation to social entrepreneurship which were quite fascinating and I believe set out a fantastic model for the future. People such as Bob Geldof and Jamie Oliver make a real difference but also run very successful businesses. There are other companies who are profit driven and I am sure the rewards are far less fulfilling. At waring and Netts we really get involved with our communities and we want to continue with this in the years ahead. We are already planning quite an ambitious plan for next year. Watch this space.20 Mar 2007 14:10:15 eRob Charltonhttp://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/3/20 http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/2/23Its been a busy week. I have just returned from Harrogate and the BSEC 07 conference. This was the second year of the conference and it has definitely built on last years success. There were some highlights to the conference namely Stephen Heppel who is always entertaining and stimulating as well as Johnathon Porrrit and his passion for sustainability. The sustainability issue for the UK and the world is a one we have to all embrace. We are not even scratching the surface with BREEAM or the renewable energy solutions currently being delivered. I think the issue will continue to grow and we all need t keep trying hard to improve on the past. BESEC has become an essential networking event where we can meet people who are passionate about learning. Together we are far more able to change and improve things. There were many suppliers contractors and councils present but a lack of teachers or students. Maybe next year...our stand is already booked. 23 Feb 2007 17:43:53 eRob Charltonhttp://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/2/23http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/2/17I will be at BSEC in Harrogate this week. I am really looking forward to meeting up with the great and the good of the education sector. Last year was the first year for the event and it got off to a good start. I am sure this year will build on this. There is a dinner this year so there will be more time for catching up with everyone. The conference was useful last year and it looks lijke there are some interesting speakers this year. This is a chance for us to share how we are finding the Building Schools for the Future Programme and our chance to feedback to ministers and civil servants present. It is my experience that the the afore mentioned do listen and often use this information to shape future policy. Waring and netts have a stand and we would are hoping to meet as many people as possible. We have learned from last year and have a stand right next to the food and drink. One of my collegues is off to MIPIM at Cannes in the next few wekks but I am more than happy with my two days in Harrogate!17 Feb 2007 22:48:53 eRob Charltonhttp://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/2/17http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/2/16I have just finished the roll out of our business plan for the year. Every year we brand our business plan and this year we have called it "good to great." We have spent the last 12 months planning for this and have selected three main themes, focussed people, focussed thought and focussed action. The roll out culminated yesterday with our communication event at the Hyena Comedy Cafe. A very different venue for such an event but is was really successful and we managed to reinforce the business culture in a far less corporate way. We have launched an internal campaign called "Be amazing!" There is a certain type of person right for our culture and by being amazing we hope to set ourselfes apart from our competitors. So in the future if someone from Waring and Netts bakes you a cake or asks what your favourite tea is dont be suprised...we want to amaze you with our level of service and approach and be different from everyone else!16 Feb 2007 13:08:00 eRob Charltonhttp://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/2/16http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/2/11Over the last few weeks I have spent a considerable amount of time talking to people about joining our team. This is one of my favourite jobs of the weeks...meeting new people and hearing their stories. We are a growing organisation and it is essential we get the right people into the business who have the same values and approach as us and who will fit in with the rest of us. One of my favourate quotes stolen from a recent conference is "Recruit for attitude-train for skills." In our industry at the moment this is so important. There is a real shortage of the right level of talent out there and with an increasing workload businesses are doing whatever they have to in an attempt to recruit new resource. We are constantly being hounded by headhunters who are keen to entice precious resource with significant increases in salary. It is so hard not to react to this and retain people in a price war! There are currently competitors of ours who are offering anything from a 40% up to 100% salary increase. We as a business have a stong committment to having a sustainable business and we are unwilling to match these and threaten the long term viability of everyone else. In such cases we re state our company vision, ethos and values and wish these people well for the future. As a business we are keen to invest in the future and we are now focussing on growing our own! I have had the pleasure over the last few weeks to meet some really enthuiastic and creative young talent. We will invest in these young people over the years ahead and allow them to develop with us. One of our school leavers who has now been with us for a couple of years has been nominated for apprentice of the year which gives us a great feeling knowing that the hard work put in by this particular member of the team is recognised nationally. This investment in young talent can really bring an additional benefit when we see these young people grow and flourish in our business. From a personal perspective this investment is a passion of mine and I hope that many other business in our region and beyond will match this committment so we can start to let young people fill the ever increasing skils gap! The young people who want to join our industry have to be given the opportunity but there is a need for investment first. Companies who are buying resource are short circuiting this process and are cheating the talent of the future.11 Feb 2007 23:56:18 eRob Charltonhttp://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/2/11 http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/1/24 This is my first entry on the site without stabilisers....no one has helped me put the information in this time so I hope this works. I wanted to give some feedback following the regional launch of the British Council for School Environments at Boldon School recently. As a founding member we were at the main launch in London. I had a discussion with Ty Goddard on the day who is the Director at this event and said that the event was very good but it had to get out of London and into the regions if it was to make an impact. In the North East there is huge investment in learning environments in the years ahead. 1 Feb 2007 09:00:00 GMT Rob Charlton www.creating-space/blog/2007/1/24 http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/1/24 We have just found out we have just won one of architecture's most sought after awards. This is second only to the Stirling Prize. 24 Jan 2007 09:00:00 GMT Rob Charlton www.creating-space/blog/2007/1/24 http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/1/1 Happy New Year and welcome to the new site, and to the first entry of my own personal blog, where I'm hoping to regularly let you know what's going on with me and with our people. 1 Jan 2007 09:00:00 GMT Rob Charlton http://www.creating-space.co.uk/blog/2007/1/1