London To Southend bike Ride 2016

After last years half marathon we are taking another challenge as an Essex Op Co and entering this brilliant fundraiser/charity event in aid of 'The BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION'. Therefore, we want as many colleagues to join in as possible. It should be a challenge but it is definitely achievable and we all get to stop at a pub for lunch!

It only costs £20 to enter, all the money is going to the BHF

 I will also be setting up a just giving Team Page for colleagues who want to be involved in raising additional funds. 

 

When: Sunday 17th July 2016 between 07:00 - 09:00              Where:  Victoria Park LONDON to Prittlewell park Southend  52 miles of outstanding cycling from the East End of London to Southend. We are not racing and will be stopping at points for lunch and a pint!  There are even two Trains Specially run by Abelio leaving Southend and getting you and the bike to Stratford Station where it is a short ride to the start- unless you have the ability to cycle  into London and then back out again to Southend  which 3 of our colleagues are intending to do!!                                     Sign up early by going to the website: https://www.bhf.org.uk/get-involved/events/bike-rides/london-to-southend-bike-ride My self and Neil Taylor, at Hadleigh Depot, can answer any questions you may have, we have quite a few weeks to practice and get ready for action so join in get fit and raise some cash.

Safety as a Personal Core Value

I was walking my lovely rescue dog with my wife and daughter and while on my walks I often see drivers  and  sometimes even stop and say hello at a bus stop if time allows! So it is with particular pleasure that I want to tell you this story.
  I saw a driver carry out 'PAWS' whilst I was on my walk, an elderly customer boarded and I watched as the driver waited and used his mirror until she was safely seated. He then pulled away at a safe speed and merged into the traffic flow without incident. To say I was proud of my colleague goes without saying everybody knows how passionate I am about safety, so to see a shining example, for us all, I had to congratulate him.
So here in lies my dilemma  perhaps I wasn't going to see this driver for a week or so and wanting to seize the moment I completed a safety commendation on my phone. I felt he deserved to be congratulated for leading by example and showing others how it can be done.

I finally caught up with the driver on friday and I hardly had to say a word as soon as I said "I was walking my dog..." my colleague to his absolute delight (and mine) recounted the whole episode to me!
So he wanted to keep the customer safe, So he chose to use Paws, So he has Safety as a Personal Core Value!
we chatted for a couple of minutes and i'm sure he will recount the story to other colleagues.
It would be brilliant if we could all sing from the same hymn book and we all put our selves into the shoes of vunerable and old passangers.  Afterall,  we will all get old one day, am I wrong?
We have the power in our hands to act safely, only you can choose to take the correct option 'self and peers' are great sources of Safety Behaviour. If I make a mistake ,we all do from time to time we're only human afterall,  I give myself constructive feedback.What could I have done differently? We' ve all been there, but by turning it into a positive I learn from my mistake.

   Murphy, assistant safety rep and bus spotter

BE-FIRST conference

Hi all, yesterday I participated in the Be-First Conference, UK Bus, Rail, Greyhound,Student and Transit and Group Support Colleagues from across First Group were all in attendance. The day was hosted by Tim O,Toole who is our First Group Chief Executive.
In the morning we concentrated on "Our vision and values":

Our Vision -what we want to do:
"To provide solutions for an increasingly congested world..keeping people moving and  communities prospering."

Our Values -how we need to work:
"Committed to customers"
"Dedicated to safety"
"Supportive of each other"
"Accountable for performance"
"Setting the highest standards"

For me, what resonated more than anything else was how customers have got to be at the heart of everything we do, whatever our aim is the customer should be the focal point for us.  Let's look at some simple actions to make our customers enjoy their travelling experience more:

• A smile as the customer gets onto the bus can mean so much and impacts not only on them but also on how you choose your attitude and you may well have a great and safe day simply by this easy action.
• Waiting for a vulnerable person to sit down, letting them know that their safety is important.

We all do a good job so let's take time to improve even more and make every journey great.

I would encourage anybody to share any ideas that will benefit our customers and subsequently our company.  After all, the front-line is at the heart of our business and from here is where we succeed.

The afternoon session was dedicated to "Be-Safe" this will be part of our safety behaviour transformation over the coming months.The absolute target being to make safety for all and everyone of us our Personal Core Value.  We had presentations from all sections of our business and it was good to know that we all have a target of reducing injuries and incidents.

Next week, I will be at the Essex Safety Meeting, and the week after I will be representing Essex colleagues at a "Collision Task force meeting and also a "Your Voice" update meeting to make sure we are all heading in the right direction. So please, do not hesitate to contact me about any issue that you may want to bring to my attention.
Your Views are very important and it is my task to make sure they are heard.

Your Voice Update/Be Safe Training

The results from "Your Voice" have been analysed.  As a result, Essex and individual OpCOs will be planning their action plans based on all of the feedback we have supplied.
Over 800 employees in Essex completed the form and I can guarentee that "Your Voice" will feature as a regular activity throughout the next year enhancing depot performance-it should never be far from our minds and needs to be constantly assessed so that it becomes real and part of our day to day working lives.
   We all want to make 'First'  a great place to work. keep looking out for what is happening in your Depot; everybody is responsible for "Your Voice" keeping it live and real.  Therefore, I for one will be making sure that what we propose is carried out. In the new year keep your eyes open for what is happening in your depot!

As you already know safety is a large part of the remit that I carry out as Employee Director.
Ultimately, it's a priority and if we achieve our values both inside and outside work then the end result can only be a positive outcome.  Safety is a way of life!  Often, I can be driving my car and in my head replay the '5 SMITHS KEYS'  the principle keeps me safer than other drivers on the road.

With this in my mind, for a period of time I will be involved in the role out of "BE SAFE" training. I have been seconded to the safety team but I will still be fully emersed in the role of Employee Director.  I will always try my best to support or look into any queries and ultimately use my experience to benefit safety training.  I will ensure that employees within First Essex aren't adversely affected in any way during this period.
I really hope that I can bring other benefits to both Essex and individual teams as a whole. I know that as a group 'safe behaviours' are at the forefront of everything we say and act upon, so i'm sure as I travel around I will have the full support of all of you in your own individual OPCOs.
.
"BE SAFE" doesn't replace any of the great process and  procedures we already have at First Bus but looks at Behaviours to work alongside; building upon our previous strengths.

Please speak to me the next time I visit- about any issue or even just to catch up.

In the meantime, I wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Ant

Movember

Movember  has now finished and I am glad to report that after 30 days I managed to achieve the desired effect and also raised £75 from Colleagues who I wish to say many thanks  for your kind donations.
I'm sure I raised a smile and merriment  as the ginger tache developed over time.

I was part of a team of the First Employee Directors and as a team we have raised over £950 which is a superb effort.

Locally I know that a team in Chelmsford raised £355 brilliant brilliant brilliant!

If anybody did still want to contribute it's not too late if you follow the below link which will  take you directly there:

 http://mosista.co/firstgroupemployeedirectors

I'm sure you are already well aware that Prostate Cancer UK is our chosen charity, I would encourage everybody to familiarise themselves with any symptoms:

Why prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men worldwide, with more than 1.1 million cases recorded in 2012. Even when successful, treatment can take a toll on the physical and mental health of those affected. We're working towards a day where no man dies of prostate cancer. 

How we're fighting prostate cancer

We're accelerating research to give men the best possible outcome after their diagnosis, and to ensure that men have the information they need to take charge of their health.
 We're investing in initiatives that:

1. Deepen the worldwide knowledge of prostate cancer through research.

2. Trial and implement ways to improve the lives of men from diagnosis through to treatment, decision-making, active recovery and well-being.

3. Raise awareness and ensure that prostate cancer is a public priority.

4. Educate men on when and how to take action.

If you need anymore information please visit http://menunited.prostatecanceruk.org/

Ant

Chelmsford Run In/ BE SAFE

On Wednesday 11th of November  I spent the evening with the Chelmsford VQO team
I really enjoy meeting colleagues from sections of our business that have a huge impact on our day to day working lives.
Mick Crowle and his team work tirelessly so that all our fleet are fit and ready for service the following morning:

• Pressure washing is carried out everyday what a difference this makes- the walkways were clean and really reduced the risk of slipping
• All First Aid stations were replenished and available
• Mick's team ethos is evident 
• PPE was worn by  everyone and maintained to a high standard (Anna must use a high temperature wash!)
• Engineering staff followed procedure and spoke to VQO team leader when they needed to move any buses as required. 

Chelmsford run-in really impressed me from all angles everybody took safety seriously, a big well done from me and thank you for having me 

If you haven't already seen this message than I think its really important that we all take note my catch phrase is "BE SAFE" and the below message encapsulates all tat we need to be aware of however unlikely it could happen so  ............................. Stay Safe and Secure 

"In response to the terrible incidents in Paris on Friday, the advice from the Government and Police is to carry on as normal whilst taking sensible security precautions. 

It is important we all do what we reasonably can to keep our passengers and ourselves safe. There are two key messages we need to follow:

· ‘Be Alert Not Alarmed’ – as we continue to carry out our daily duties it is important we follow our security procedures and apply our security training
· ‘See Something, Say Something’ – if we see something suspicious we should report it (see contact numbers below)

If you notice anything suspicious, please report it by informing your line manager or call the National Counter Terrorism Hotline – 0800 789 321. In an emergency, dial 999.

Please remember to play your part in making us all more safe and secure.
if you're unsure about any of the above points then  speak to a supervisor  or your line manager.

YOUR VOICE RESPONSE RATES

Hi 
I have  great pleasure in announcing the completion rates for Essex and also the amount of  money that we have raised for 
Prostate Cancer UK.


           YOUR VOICE 

	paper	online	Total	Headcount	%	amount
Basildon	4	152	156	185	84	£308
Colchester	1	154	155	191	81	£309
Hadleigh	5	130	135	168	80	£265
Chelmsford	10	233	243	312	78	£476
Braintree	4	29	33	54	61	£62
Clacton	13	25	38	70	54	£63
Essex	37	723	760	980	78	£1483

• Colchester also raised £309 for Essex Air Ambulance
• Chelmsford  UNITE Branch also matched donation of
•  £476  for Prostate Cancer UK. 

TOTAL RAISED in Essex =£2267

This is an outstanding contribution from us all and we will now wait for the next stage of the process . All the surveys will be analysed and the results communicated in December, before  action  plans are finalised and agreed in early 2016.

Secondly, I will be visiting Chelmsford Depot on November 11th, in the afternoon I will be in the Bus station and in the evening will be with VQOs witnessing the Chelmsford run-in.